The Delhi Police has begun its investigation into videos that purportedly show that officials used guns during the crackdown at Jamia Millia Islamia University that followed after a students’ protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act on Sunday evening, NDTV reported on Wednesday. The police had on Tuesday said that only tear gas shells were used and no bullets were fired, and that they followed maximum restraint.
There are two videos that have gone viral on social media. In one of the videos, supposedly shot near Delhi’s Mathura Road, a police officer can be seen with a gun and opening fire. He is first seen firing in the air and then approaching a bylane as more shots are heard soon after.
The other video shows a protestor falling down following the sound of a gunshot as people around him call for help. The protestor was identified as Ajaz, a 22-year-old student pursuing Bachelor of Arts at Jamia.
“That video is also part of a probe and I would not like to say anything beyond that,” an unidentified police officer, who is part of the inquiry, told NDTV. “There are lots of videos on social media. We are examining each one of those to identify miscreants also.” The officer confirmed that station-level officials carry small weapons such as Glock pistols or 9mm handguns.
Neither the university nor the Delhi Police have confirmed the authenticity of the videos and refuted any speculations on the use of guns on protestors. “Delhi Police never fired at any student or protester on Sunday at Jamia Nagar area,” police spokesperson Anil Mittal told IANS. “As far as the video shown on the television channel is concerned, when the Delhi Police didn’t fire on the protesters so the Delhi Police has nothing to do with the video.”
Even as the police denied firing inside the campus, the medical superintendent of government-run Safdarjung Hospital said that two Jamia protestors who were admitted have sustained bullet injuries.
The violence broke out on Sunday evening after a protest march by Jamia students ended in a pitched battle with the police. Buses were set on fire, and several students and police officers were injured.
Also read:
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