Jamia students allege police attacked them during anti-caa march, cops deny charge
nNEWDELHI: A group of Jamia Millia Islamia students on Wednesday alleged the Delhi Police brutally attacked and abused them when they tried to take out a march to Parliament against the amended citizenship act on Monday. Police, however, denied these claims and said they were cautious in their approach.
Several students of Jamia and residents of nearby areas were injured on Monday during their attempt to carry the protest march under the banner of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) — a students’ body that has been managing the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for nearly two months.
Police stopped them near Holy Family Hospital on Okhla Road and a scuffle ensued when the protesters tried to cross the barricades. Some students were also detained and later released. At least 23 people were taken to Al Shifa and Ansari Hospital for treatment for injuries suffered in the scuffle.
On Wednesday, a group of students alleged that the police kicked them in their private parts, tore their clothes and abused them then. Safoora, member of the JCC, said that the police had used “full force” to stop unarmed students. “I was surrounded by at least 10 policemen. I requested them to give me some space because I was not being to breathe. They mocked me and did not let me go. I suddenly felt claustrophobic and fainted. Police did not help me at all,” she said.
Many students shared similar experience on Wednesday during a press meet. Chanda Yadav, an undergraduate student at Jamia, alleged that she and her friends were kicked by the police. “Police personnel kicked me in my stomach. They dragged me with my clothes and detained me in their vehicle. A male police officer slapped me when I requested them not to use the force on students,” she said.
The students demanded action against the police personnel involved in the incident.
RP Meena, deputy commissioner of police (south-east), said, “There was absolutely no force used against the protesters and none of our personnel used batons. In fact, we sent our unarmed women personnel to the front to deal with them.” She also dismissed allegations that 100 to150 protesters were injured.
A senior police officer who did not want to be identified said the police were so cautious that they “turned their backs towards the protesters”. “We didn’t want to leave any scope for allegations of assault,” said the officer.