A group of students from Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia on Wednesday alleged police kicked them on their private parts, tore their hijabs, questioned their patriotism and abused them when they tried to march to parliament on February 10 against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC. The Delhi Police, however, denied these allegations, saying “no force was used against the protesters”.

Hundreds of Jamia students and residents of nearby areas were stopped by police on Monday from taking out a march to parliament against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) leading to a standoff during which scuffles broke out between protesters and security personnel.

The students claimed the police action was a “preplanned” conspiracy to stop their march by attacking them.

Addressing a press conference, around 20 injured students under the Jamia Coordination Committee narrated what they claimed were police brutalities.

Safura Zargar, one of the injured students said, “The students had barely reached the Holy Family Hospital when they found police standing prepared there in three layers. They were wearing steel gears, carrying flash rods, sticks and more. They started squeezing students with a steel gear. We were beaten up with shoes, flash rods and also kicked in the stomach.”

They were taken to the MA Ansari Hospital at Jamia Nagar and Al Shifa Hospital and 12 of them are in ICU. The students who were speaking to the media were discharged from the hospitals.

Another injured student, Mujibullah Sawan said, “A senior officer threatened me in front of a group of students, ”I will tear you apart”. I told him he can do whatever he wanted, but I won’t be scared. Policemen also commented on my beard and questioned my patriotism.”

Denying the charges, South East DCP RP Meena said, “All allegations levelled against us are untrue. The entire protest has been videographed by us. In fact, some of our men were manhandled and they received injuries in the scuffle. No force was used against the protesters.”

An injured female student alleged, “When I saw a few students being thrashed, I rushed to help them. When I was about to cross the barricade, some policewomen pushed me down. One of the male policemen kicked in my private part and I fainted.” She claimed she can identify the policeman who thrashed her and was ready to do so if asked to.

Another female student claimed, “Policemen stood on my thigh. I have suffered a ligament tear. They tore my hijab. Policewomen passed lewd comments like ”take her in a corner and teach her what Constitution is”.

The women students brought their purported medical reports as evidence of the injuries, while the male students presented photos of the injuries.

jamiaThe protesters had begun their march at noon from the university’s gate number 7, which has seen demonstrations for the last two months, barring last Friday and Saturday when the protesters had shifted the venue due to elections.

The police had stopped the protesters after they had marched for two kilometres and appealed them not to go further as there was no permission and prohibitory orders had been imposed.

The protesters led by Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) had refused to end their protest and insisted on marching to Parliament, clambering over barricades placed by the police before finally sitting on ”dharna” outside the university.

Source: PTI