Jamia Students, Delhi Police Clash Over Anti-CAA March; Several Injured As Cops Resort To Lathicharge

After an hour-long standoff between security forces and students, the police resorted to lathicharge on the protesters near Holy Family hospital which is within walking distance of Jamia Millia Islamia.

A woman protestor shouts as police stop many others during their march against the amended Citizenship Act, NRC and NPR, near Jamia Nagar in New Delhi. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: Students of the Jamia Milia Islamia clashed with Delhi Police on Monday after being stopped to carry an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest march towards the Parliament. According to reports, after an hour-long standoff between security forces and students, the police resorted to lathicharge on the protesters near Holy Family hospital which is within walking distance of Jamia Millia Islamia. In retaliation, the students railed against the police and jumped barricades. In the melee that ensued, many from both sides fainted. Coming up against four layers of barricades and massive security deployment, some of the protesters tried to climb over the barricades. But they met with stiff resistance from the police. Some security forces personnel resorted to the lathicharge while others pushed back the protesters when they threw water pouches at the security forces and abused them. ALSO WATCH | Jamia Students March To Parliament Amid Heavy Security Deployment When shoes were hurled at the police from inside the ranks of the protesters, the organisers quickly stepped in to tell the protesters not to indulge in violence. The anti-CAA march from Jamia Millia Islamia to Parliament began behind schedule on Monday amid heavy security deployment. According to reports, the police had earlier denied permission to the protesters for the march. The march to Parliament was called by the Jamia Coordination Committee against the amended Citizenship Act and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). "I request both students and police to deal with the situation in a calm manner. I appeal to students to move back." urged Jamia Millia Islamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmad. Police baton charge protestors to push them back during their march against the amended Citizenship Act, NRC and NPR, near Jamia Nagar. (Image: PTI) During a march to Parliament announced by students of Jamia Millia Islamia, an interesting scene was witnessed as women protesters raised their bangles in the air pointed towards the Delhi police. The women claimed that Delhi Police was not letting the march continue because of instructions by the BJP-led central government. They suggested that the Delhi Police wear the bangles for not allowing the protesters to march ahead. "They are acting like they have bangles on their hands, so it's better they wear our bangles," Manjuri, a resident of Batla House, said as she waived the bangles she was wearing. Owing to ongoing stand-off between the Delhi police and Jamia protesters, the gates of nearby metro station -- Sukhdev Vihar -- were closed by the DMRC along with heavy security deployment. ALSO WATCH | Visuals of anti-CAA protest from various locations in Delhi Reports of several students of being critically injured came after the scuffle with police. Several took to micro-blogging site Twitter and criticised the Delhi Police for their alleged brutality. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said: "Such abusive behaviour against protesters has become the hallmark response of BJP to dissent. Sickening and absolutely condemnable behaviour by Delhi Police." Joint Commissioner of Police for southern range addressed the protesters and requested them to call off the protest but they refused. "The protest event that you were supposed to attend is now over. There is no point in standing here. Return back to your university now," the Joint CP (southern range) Devesh Chandra Srivastava told them.