67 people, 31 cops injured in Jamia protest: Delhi Police

New Delhi, Dec 17 : A total of 67 people, including students, and 31 police personnel were injured on Sunday after demonstrators protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act turned the New Friends Colony area near Jamia Millia Islamia into a battleground, the Delhi Police said in a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday.



Police also stated that they registered two separate cases against unknown people for arson and rioting and they have not received any complaint from Jamia students or two journalists who were injured in the arson.

The report, accessed by IANS, stated that a total 14 buses were burnt and damaged and 20 private vehicles were torched and smashed by the violent mob during the protest.

It also stated that four two-wheelers were also torched by the mob.

It stated that a total of 67 people were injured and their medico legal reports have been prepared.

The report mentions that 31 police personnel were injured when the demonstrators, comprising of students and local miscreants carried out arson and damaged public properties.

The report stated 43 people, including students, and 26 police injured during the protest were hospitalised at Holy Family Hospital.

Four police personnel were hospitalised at Jeewan Nursing Home and one police personnel at Irene Hospital.

Apart from that, 24 people, which includes Jamia students, were hospitalised at Apollo Hospital. All the injured police personnel and people are now out of danger.

The police in its report states that they fired tear gas shells to stop the mob from pelting stones and damaging public property.

It also stated that no bullets were fired.

It also mentions that a total of 47 persons, including students, were detained on Sunday night who were later released from custody after their antecedents were verified.

The report states that 12 persons detained were kept at New Friends Colony police station and 35 at Kalkaji police station.

The report also stated the force has arrested a total of 10 persons, all with criminal antecedents, for carrying out arson and torching vehicles during the protest.

Of the 10, three are bad characters of the area.

Police has stated that 15 more people have been identified as raids are being carried out in South East District.

Special Commissioner of Police Satish Golcha has also been asked to present all the facts before Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla.

The varsity had turned into a battlefield on Sunday with police entering the campus and allegedly using force, following violence and arson during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

On Sunday, protesters had torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends Colony during a demonstration against the Act, leaving nearly 60 people including students, police and firefighters injured.

The police thereafter used batons and tear gas shells to disperse the violent mob and entered the Jamia university campus.

Jamia authorities and students 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 "peaceful" march.

(Sumit Kumar Singh can be reached at sumit.k@ians.in)

--IANS

sk/kr.



Source: IANS