Detained Jamia Milia Islamia students released, protest outside Delhi Police HQ ends

IANS Photo

NEW DELHI: All 35 students belonging to Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) University were released at Kalkaji and New Friends Colony police stations, police said on Monday.

The midnight protest launched by students in front of old Delhi Police Headquarters to protest against the use of force by Delhi Police after anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests at Jamia Nagar in Delhi turned violent on Sunday, was also called off by the students. 

"All students detained from Kalkaji and New Friends Colony have been released," said Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa."

Delhi Police also appealed the protesters to end their protest buses have also been arranged to drop the protestors.

Injured students will also be released after treatment said Delhi Police in a statement," said Delhi Police in a statement.

The protesters, which reportedly included some students from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), set ablaze three buses and attacked fire brigade vehicles on Sunday, injuring at least six policemen and two fire brigade personnel.

Chinmoy Biswal, Delhi Commissioner of Police South East, had said that a mob of around 2,000 people turned violent and targeted public transport buses. Biswal added that the protesters resorted to stone-pelting and around six policemen have been injured. "This mob was violent. Around 6 policemen have been injured in the stone-pelting. We are yet to ascertain the identities," Biswal said.

The senior Delhi Police official also defended the police action to resort to lathi-charge on the protesters, and said that the policemen were only trying to push the mob back in order to restore law and order in the area. Biswal stressed that the police did not target any students of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Commenting on police's decision to enter Jamia Millia Islamia campus, Biswal said that JMI campus is not unified and it is located on both sides of the road and when the police were trying to control the protesters many of them entered the university and started pelting stones at police. This forced the police force to enter inside the campus and check those place.

The Vice-Chancellor of Jamia, Najma Akhtar, condemned police action saying police entered inside the campus without permission and beat up some students and university staff.

"Police couldn't differentiate between the protesters and students sitting in the library. Many students and staff were injured. There was so much ruckus that Police couldn't take permission. I hope for peace and safety of our students," said the Jamia VC.

Entry, exit gates of over 15 Delhi Metro stations were closed following protests. It included Delhi Gate, Pragati Maidan, ITO, IIT, GTB Nagar, Shivaji Stadium, Vasant Vihar, Munirka, RK Puram, Sukhdev Vihar, Jamia Millia Islamia, Okhla Vihar and Jasola Vihar stations.