The Delhi Police on Monday said that it used “maximum restraint, minimum force” while dealing with the students of Jamia Milia Islamia University who were protesting against the new citizenship law on Sunday.
“Yesterday, the protest happened around 2pm, where locals also participated. Our staff showed maximum restraint and used minimum force despite provocations. Around 4:30pm some protesters went towards Mata Mandir Marg and set a bus on fire,” Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa said on Monday.
He also said that Crime Branch has been roped in to probe the two cases (Jamia Nagar and New Friends Colony) and it will investigate it from all angles.
Action will be taken against whoever is involved in this incident, he added.
Randhawa said the police is keeping a watch on social media.
“We are monitoring social media. “There are lot of rumours going around over this incident (violence near Jamia), I appeal to everyone especially students to not believe in rumours,” he said.
The violence occurred on Sunday during a protest march being taken out by Jamia students against the new law passed by Parliament last week. Four buses and two police vehicles were torched in the violent protest.
{{/usCountry}}The violence occurred on Sunday during a protest march being taken out by Jamia students against the new law passed by Parliament last week. Four buses and two police vehicles were torched in the violent protest.
{{/usCountry}}“Around 30 police personnel received injuries, two SHO suffered fractures. One of our personnel is in the ICU,” Randhawa said today.
The police have come under lot of criticism, with the students as well as some leaders accusing them of excesses. A petition has also been filed in court against the police action.
Jamia vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar held a press conference on Monday and said that the university will file an FIR against the police for entering the campus and roughing up students who were studying in the college library. She also said she will push for a high-level inquiry into the incident.
In police’s defence, Radhawa said, “When we started pushing the rowdy elements, they went inside. Police also chased them, stones were being pelted at us.”
Personnel of Delhi Police allegedly marched inside the Jamia Millia Islamia University campus and brought about 150 students out of the premises after the violence. Around 50 of them were detained, but were let off around 3.30am on Monday.