Jamia Millia Islamia submits report to MHRD, seeks judicial probe into police action inside campus

A week after Delhi Police stormed Jamia Millia Islamia campus following protests that had turned violent, the university has submitted a request to the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD) seeking a probe by a high-powered committee or judicial inquiry into the matter.

The report is a follow up to the personal briefing by Vice-Chancellor Najma Akhtar to the MHRD regarding the entry of police inside its premises on December 15-16.

In a report to the ministry submitted on December 20, the Registrar of the university has called for initiation of a high-powered committee or judicial inquiry to probe the incident of December 15.

The varsity has demanded a probe into three matters: unauthorised entry of Delhi Police inside the campus, use of force and infliction of brutal and grievous physical injuries on the students who were peacefully studying inside the reading rooms of the library, vandalising and damaging the properties of the library/university and also damaging the two-wheelers parked in the vicinity of the library.

"An early action as to the constitution of a time-bound High-powered Committee/Judicial Inquiry will restore the sense of justice on the students," the letter said. 

"Kindly take necessary steps to bring to the books those who have indulged into these unlawful acts," the letter signed by Registrar AP Siddiqui said. 

Read the full report here:

The university said that that the police used teargas and lathicharge to disperse protesters gathered on the Mathura Road and Julena Road on December 15-16.

The protesters while retreating took Maulana Mohd Ali Jauhar Marg which passes through the university campus, the varsity said. 

"While pushing the crowd on this road, the Delhi Police entered inside the campus through Gate Numbers 4 and 7 by breaking the lock, beating the guards on duty and window and doors of the library, lobbed the teargas shell inside the reading room then forcefully entered inside and beat all the students studying inside the library brutally", the varsity has said in its report. 

It is submitted that no permission to the police to enter inside the campus or library was given by university authorities, it said.

The varsity, citing that the injured students were detained in New Friends Colony and Kalkaji Police stations, urged the HRD Ministry to constitute a committee to probe the unauthorised entry of police inside the campus.

Last week, officials from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had visited the Jamia campus to probe the incident. The university had written a letter to the commission to investigate the matter.