Protesters attacked police, no action taken against Jamia students: South-East Delhi DCP Chinmoy Biswal

A section of protesters demonstrating against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) turned violent and started attacking police personnel using stones and petrol bombs, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South-East Delhi, Chinmoy Biswal on Sunday.

"For the past three days, the people had been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the university area. Yesterday, the students dissociated themselves from the protests," Biswal told reporters here.

"At around 3 pm, a crowd of almost 3,000 people were stopped at New Friends Colony by putting up a barricade. A few elements from that group created a jam on the Ring Road after which the police personnel requested them to stop doing so. They had came prepared and started pelting stones and indulged in arson in which the DTC buses were targeted," he added.

Biswal said that the police had to resort to lathi-charge and using tear gas shells to disperse the violent mob. He said that at least six policemen received injuries in the incident.

"The protesters were pushed back in Jamia Nagar area using tear gas shells. As per the information till now, six police personnel were injured due to the stone pelting from the violent crowd. It caused arson, damage to public property. We have also detained a few people whose details will be revealed later," said he.

Denying the allegation of police taking action against students of Jamia Millia Islamia, Biswal: "The campus is not compact. It is located on both sides of the road. While we were pushing the mob back, they were going in the university and then were throwing stones from inside. So we were checking those places."

The police official also claimed that no bullets were fired by the police during the course of controlling the protest.

The protesters had set DTC buses on fire near Bharat Nagar area after demonstrations turned violent. Protestors also vandalised a fire tender that was sent to douse the fire and injured two firemen inside the vehicle.

Damage to other buses and vehicles was also caused by the protestors. Police have, meanwhile, taken control of the situation and fire tenders have been rushed to control the damage caused in different areas.

Police also detained protesters from outside the Jamia Millia Islamia's gate number one. Earlier today, protestors including students of Jamia Millia Islamia had carried out demonstrations in Kalindi Kunj area against the citizenship legislation.