A student has been killed in clashes with police at a Senegalese university, as students demanded payment of their grants, the Senegalese interior minister has told AFP news agency.

Ali Ngouye Ndiaye told private station Radio Future Media that 18 police officers were also injured in the scuffle at the University of Saint-Louis in northern Senegal.

The second-year student was shot dead, student sources told AFP, adding “more than 20” were injured.

The students were arguing that as they had not received their grants they should be allowed to eat without paying the bill at the university restaurants, AFP explains.

This prompted the authorities to call the police, the interior minister added.

The minister said he expected an inquiry to be held and promised that the grants would be paid.