On Thursday, the Delhi police submitted to the Delhi High Court that the violence that took place on December 13 and December 15 at Jamia Millia Islamia campus was not sporadic but a well-planned attack as all rioters were well-armed with stones, lathis and petrol bombs.
The Delhi police advocates Amit Mahajan and Rajat Nair, responding to six pleas filed in Jamia violence case, informed the court that the intention of the mob was to disrupt law and order in the area.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch also submitted electronic evidence — both videos and photographs, and recorded statements of evidence and added that it was clear that in the garb of students’ agitation, what happened, in fact, appears to be a well-planned and orchestrated attempt by some persons with local support (who were not students) to intentionally perpetrate violence in the area.
The Crime Branch added, “the said incident was not a sporadic incident but a well-planned incident, as the rioters were well armed with stones, lathis, petrol bombs, tube lights, etc., that clearly manifest that the intention of the mob was to disrupt law and order situation in the area”.
Accused in Jamia violence are outsiders, not students
The Delhi Police also said that with respect to the three FIRs on the violence, charge sheets have already been filed in Saket court against 20 accused and none of them were students belonging to the university. The pleas were filed seeking directions to the police to not take any coercive action against the students of JMI university and to quash all criminal proceedings against them.
The probe into the violence revealed local leaders and politicians were instigating protestors, who were raising provocative and inciting slogans, the Delhi Police said.
“They burnt tyres and threw the same towards police. The CAT ambulance, passing through university road with a patient inside, was also damaged. This unlawful crowd in different groups entered the campus on both sides of the road and started pelting stones on the force,” police said.
The Delhi Police in its affidavit also mentioned that the petitions asking for the quashing of FIRs against rioters were an utter abuse of PIL jurisdiction as the incidents of violence in and around the campus were well-planned and orchestrated attempt by some persons with local support to intentionally perpetrate violence in the area.
No need of separate inquiry into Jamia violence case, says Delhi Police
The Delhi Police on Thursday informed the Delhi High Court that there is no need of separate inquiry to look into the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) as it was already carrying out a comprehensive investigation pertaining to the Jamia riots.
According to the reports, in the affidavit, the Delhi Police asked the court to reject a bunch of pleas seeking constitution of a fact-finding committee to find out if the students were being indiscriminately arrested and were not provided medical aid.
The Delhi Police also said that the petitioner’s prime contention that it was just a ‘student protest’ and the demonstration was peaceful, is an utter falsehood and requested the Delhi HC to dismiss the petition. The police said there were already three cases registered against Jamia violence and the investigation is being monitored by a competent court and contended that no new inquiry is needed in the case.
The petition was filed by advocated Nabila Hasan, Snehal Mukerjee and Siddharth Seem seeking a report on cops against rioters at Jamia Millia University violence incident. It is notable here that as many as six petitions have been filed by various lawyers, students of Jamia, some Okhla residents and even by the Imam of the Jama Masjid, asking for the quashing of FIRs against the accused in the violence.
The Delhi Police affidavit in the Delhi High Court said that exercise of the right of dissent should be respected, however, no person should be allowed to breach of the law, indulge in violence, arson and riotous activity under the garb of exercise of the fundamental right of speech and assembly.
