2 Protesters in hospital with bullet wounds after Jamia clashes: Official

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Dec 16, 2019: Two persons who were part of yesterday’s protest march in Delhi, have been admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital with bullet injuries, the hospital’s medical superintendent told NDTV today. Their identity is not known yet. The Delhi Police have denied using bullets to quell the Citizenship Act protests, which had culminated in a pitched battle with the crowd, NDTV reported.

 

Unconfirmed videos of people with bullet injuries at hospitals had been doing the rounds in social media after yesterday’s violence. But the Delhi Police, which has been accused of using excessive force, today categorically denied using firearms.

"There was no firing, no casualties in Jamia violence," MS Randhawa, the Public Relations Officer of Delhi Police, told reporters at a press conference this afternoon.

The police had intercepted the protesters soon after the march started yesterday, asking them not to move to the city centre as planned. But the angry protesters had targeted them with stones and indulged in arson. The police had used batons and tear gas to push back the mob.

Later, the police had barged into the university and rounded up nearly a hundred students who were detained till 3 am.

The university said they had entered illegally without permission and assaulted the staff and students. The students alleged that many of them picked up from the library. Videos surfaced in social media showing signs of struggle in toilets, where unconscious students seen lying.

"We only acted to control sitution after violence," news agency ANI quoted senior police officer Chinmaya Biswal as saying.

Pointing to the layout of the university, which does not have a closed campus, the officer said when the mob was being pushed back, the police gave chase. They entered the university when the men rushed inside the university gates and started throwing stones again.

The opposition have argued that the police was taking orders from the BJP, pointing to the fact that the Delhi Police is under the control of the Union home ministry.

Mr Randhawa said the crime branch will investigate the Sunday’s incident.

"The Crime Branch will investigate the Jamia violence. A thorough investigation will be done and accountability will be fixed," he said at the press conference.