Citizenship Act: Jamia Univ Clashes Leave Protesters, Cops Injured

Police had set up barricades, which students say they breached, after which they were lathi-charged by the police.

At least two dozen protesters and police personnel were injured in clashes that broke out between the two parties at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia University on Friday, 13 December.

According to students, professors of the central varsity had organised a silent march to Parliament, to protest against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Students say the police set up barricades and did not allow them to pass through. When the barricades were breached, the students were lathi-charged by the police. To this, the students retaliated with stone-pelting.

One of the protesters, Shah Faiz, was allegedly hit by an exploding tear gas shell, resulting in severe injuries to his hand. It is not clear if Faiz is a student of the varsity.

Jamia Postpones Exams

Apart from Faiz, several students at the varsity also sustained serious injuries.

Amid widespread chaos, students have called for a university-wide lockdown and have decided to boycott the upcoming exams in solidarity with those injured.

In a statement on Saturday, 14 December, the Office of Controller of Examinations, Jamia Millia Islamia, said all examinations scheduled for the day have been postponed.

Meanwhile, 12 Delhi Police personnel suffered injuries and two are said to be in the ICU. Police say that protesters were not allowed to go to Jantar Mantar as the protest site had already reached saturation point.

“They got agitated and aggressively confronted the police personnel. They broke barricades and indulged in stone-pelting at police personnel, which also caused damage to parked vehicles. Police had to lob tear gas shells with use of limited force to disperse the protesters.”

Delhi Police to The Quint

The police said 42 protesters were detained and subsequently released.