Published 18:26 IST, February 17th 2020
Former Delhi LG Najeeb Jung demands investigation into Jamia 'library' incident
Former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung on Monday demanded an investigation into Jamia Millia Islamia University incident after a CCTV clip surfaces.
Former Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, on Monday demanded an investigation into the Jamia Millia Islamia University incident. This comes after the CCTV footage started doing rounds on social media showing policemen in riot gears barging into the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) library and beating the students up with batons on the night of December 15 last year.
"A statement should come from the Police on this. If a student entered the library carrying stone, that is also condemnable. There should be a proper investigation into this," Jung, who was also the Vice-Chancellor of JMI before taking over as Delhi LG said.
Police brutality in Jamia University
On Saturday, Jamia co-ordination committee shared a video of police officers hitting students in the library of the Jamia Millia Islamia University on December 15, 2019. The video, which is a CCTV footage of the first-floor reading hall in the University, shows police dressed in full riot gear hitting those gathered in the library. Jamia University has distanced itself from the videos.
Soon, another video emerged from the same library, prior to the Delhi police and paramilitary forces entered the library. The new video shows students assembled in the library when masked men suddenly enter the library and then students help to barricade the entrance of the library. On Monday, a third updated video was shared by the twitter handle 'Jamia Millia Islamia' (not the official account of the university) which police thrashing students (masked and otherwise) as they run away from the library. Moreover, the video also shows one of the policemen dressed in riot gear seemingly trying to destroy the CCTV in the library.
What happened at Jamia University?
On December 15, the University witnessed violent clashes after students were stopped from marching to the Parliament protesting the Citizenship Act. While students stated that police resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas, the police have claimed that they were forced to do so after students refused to stop their march when requested. Police claimed that students broke barricades and indulged in stone-pelting at police personnel, causing injuries to 12 policemen. Over 100 students have been injured with one student losing an eye. Police also claim that some protestors, who were vandalising public property, had resorted to stone-pelting and had rushed into the university, triggering police entry into the campus.
Updated 18:26 IST, February 17th 2020