Citizenship Act: Massive Protest Outside Delhi Police Headquarters After Crackdown At Jamia Campus

Over 300 people gathered outside old Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO to protest against police action at Jamia Millia University. Earlier today after the violence in South Delhi, police entered the Jamia campus and blocked the university gates to nab some "outsiders" who had entered the premises to hide.

Both the Jamia Millia students' community as well as the Teachers' Association have disassociated themselves with the violence and arson that took place near the university Sunday afternoon.  Escorted by police, youths could be seen coming out of their hostels with their hands raised. Some of them claimed the police also entered the library and "harassed" the students.

The protesters raised anti-police slogans outside the headquarters in ITO area, after a call for it was given by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union. Other students’ bodies endorsed the protest call.

“The Delhi Police has gheraoed Jamia students in the library. We do not subscribe to the bus burning incident which happened but those who did it were not from the varsity but outsiders. Innocent students are being targeted," claimed a student who did not wish to be named.   

Some others alleged that students have been detained by the police, but there was no confirmation from the Delhi Police, which said they were focussing on bringing the situation under control.

Earlier today, Protestors torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends’ Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, leaving at least 40 people including students, policemen and fire fighters injured, officials said.

The police used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent mob and entered the Jamia university campus, detaining several persons allegedly involved in the violence.

But a Jamia students’ body claimed they had nothing to do with the violence and arson during the protest and alleged that “certain elements” had joined in and “disrupted” the demonstration. They also accused the police of high-handedness.

Later in the evening, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held a protest outside the Police Headquarters in central Delhi against the police action at Jamia university and the standoff continued till late in the night.

Commuters faced a harrowing time as traffic was thrown out of gear for several hours in the areas gripped by tension after the clash and Delhi Metro shut over a dozen stations.

Soon after the violence, Jamia Millia Islamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmed Khan claimed that the Delhi Police entered the campus forcibly without any permission and beat up staff members and students who were forced to leave the campus.

Condemning the police action, university vice chancellor Najma Akhtar said students who were inside the library have been taken out and are safe. Police said they entered the university campus only to control the situation, after protesters indulged in the violence.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said four buses and two police vehicles were torched during the protest, and six policemen were injured. He said stones were pelted from inside the university campus at police personnel, forcing them to use teargas to disperse the “violent mob”.

Biswal said some people have been detained but did not give details.