'Treated like criminals' by cops: Jamia students

New Delhi: Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University, where the police entered after a protest against the amended Citizenship Act nearby spiralled out of control on Sunday evening, alleged that they were "treated like criminals" by police.

They also claimed that police personnel pushed female students and no women officials were present. Forty people, including students, policemen and firemen were injured as violence erupted during a protest by Jamia students against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Protesters torched four buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in south Delhi New Friends' Colony. Police baton charged the protesters and used tear gas shells to disperse the violent mob before entering the varsity campus, detaining several persons allegedly involved in the violence. "We were asked to vacate the campus and come out with our hands up. We were not even present at the protest site and were inside the campus. We were treated like criminals by police," a female student said on condition of anonymity. Another student, Mohammad Kamil, claimed that those offering prayers in the mosque inside the university premises were also not spared. "Police entered the mosque inside the campus and harassed those who were praying. They have destroyed our library, canteen and we do not know how many other departments of the varsity," he said.

According to students, police laid seige to the campus and those injured were not even allowed to get medical attention. Students said windows of the library were smashed and around 50-60 students were inside when policemen gheraoed it. "Some students hid in the basement to shield themselves. It was a scary situation as we sent out SOS messages to our friends and university officials. The lights had also been switched off," a student, who did not wish to be named, said. Students claimed that some of their peers were also detained and taken to the Kalkaji police station. Lawyers and teachers who had gone to meet them were not allowed to enter the police station which was heavily barricaded, they said. Sunday's protest and violence also trended on Twitter, with many sharing photos and videos of the incident using the hashtag #SOSJAMIA.