New Delhi : An Indian student, Achinthya Sivalingam, originating from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, has been apprehended and subsequently banned from Princeton University in the United States. This action follows her involvement in a student-led protest advocating for Palestine on the university campus. The arrest occurred alongside another student, Hassan Sayed, subsequent to their defiance of warnings and the establishment of tents in the university’s McCosh Courtyard. This incident unfolded amidst widespread demonstrations at prominent American universities concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

The two graduate students were arrested for trespassing and have been promptly prohibited from accessing the campus, as stated by Jennifer Morrill, a spokesperson for the university. Additionally, they are subject to disciplinary measures. Sivalingam is reportedly pursuing a Masters in Public Affairs in International Development at Princeton, while Sayed is a doctoral candidate.

Initially involving approximately 110 individuals, the protest saw its numbers swell to around 300 as the day progressed. Despite the arrests prompting the demonstrators to dismantle their tents, they persisted with their demonstration through a sit-in.

This development underscores the ongoing tensions and activism surrounding the Israel-Palestine issue on university campuses, indicative of a broader global concern for the conflict’s repercussions and the solidarity movements it has engendered.