Lucknow, Oct. 26: A final-year science student of Aligarh Muslim University was shot dead following an altercation over parking of vehicles near the railway station, threatening the fragile peace on the volatile campus that has been free of violence for the past two years.

The Rapid Action Force was called in to patrol the roads leading to the university, which was celebrating the centenary of the establishment of the STS High School within the campus. The celebrations have been put on hold.

Vice-chancellor Abdul Aziz appealed to the students not to be provoked by the “elements who are out to disrupt peace on the campus”.

Professor N.A.K. Durrani, the university’s media adviser, said Shahnawaz had gone to an eatery near the station around 10.30pm yesterday where he had an exchange of words with a local resident, Kallu Khan.

Khan asked Shahnawaz to remove his motorcycle, but the student said he would do so later. “When he (Shahnawaz) refused to do so immediately as he was eating, the other man whipped out his revolver and shot the student from close range,” said senior superintendent of police, Aseem Arun. Shahnawaz was taken to the Aligarh district hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.

Khan has been arrested. As news of the murder spread, several hundred students gathered at the AMU Medical College Hospital.

They blocked roads and train tracks in protest.