Violence rocks south Delhi during anti-citizenship law protest, buses torched, 40 injured

Protestors torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia university during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, leaving at least 40 people including students, policemen and fire fighters injured, officials said.

The trouble started during a protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia, which was gripped by tension as police later entered the campus and detained several persons allegedly involved in the violence.

But a Jamia students' body claimed they had nothing to do with the violence and arson and alleged that "certain elements" had joined in and "disrupted" the demonstration.

Later in the evening, students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) held a protest outside the Police Headquarters in central Delhi against the police action at Jamia university and the standoff continued till late in the night.

Commuters faced a harrowing time as traffic was thrown out of gear for several hours in the areas gripped by tension after the clash and Delhi Metro shut over a dozen stations.

Soon after the violence, Jamia Millia Islamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmed Khan claimed that the Delhi Police entered the campus forcibly without any permission and beat up staff members and students who were forced to leave the campus.

Condemning the police action, university vice chancellor Najma Akhtar said students who were inside the library have been taken out and are safe.

Police said they entered the university campus only to control the situation, after protesters indulged in the violence.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said four buses and two police vehicles were torched during the protest, and six policemen were injured.

He said stones were pelted from inside the university campus at police personnel, forcing them to use teargas to disperse the "violent mob".

Biswal said some people have been detained but did not give details.

In the wake of violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act in south Delhi, DMRC closed gates of several metro stations, including GTB Nagar, Shivaji Stadium, Patel Chowk and Vishwavidyalaya, on Sunday evening for several hours.

Escorted by police, some youths could be seen coming out of their hostels with their hands raised. Some of them claimed the police also entered the library and "harassed" the students.

After the clash between protesters and police during a demonstration against the amended citizenship law near Jamia Millia Islamia, at least 35 injured people were taken to a nearby hospital, sources said.

Father George PA, director of Holy Family Hospital, said, We received university students and also two police personnel who suffered injuries, bruises. Most of them have been discharged now."
But the university chief proctor said, "Police entered the campus by force, no permission was taken. Staff members and students were beaten up and forced to leave the campus."