Jamia firing: Protesters detained; Oppn likely to protest in Parliament

A man opened fire at a group of protesters near JamiaMillia Islamia injuring Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, on Thursday afternoon and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi", triggering panic in the city's Jamia area. The injured student who was seen bleeding from his left hand, was taken to AIIMS.
The man, who may be a minor, was immediately detained after the incident. There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.
The Delhi Police said that the firing incident happened in a matter of seconds and by the time police could react, the man, who has been arrested, had fired his country-made pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters.
The statement came after Delhi Police faced flak from Jamia Millia Islamia students and the AAP alleged that the force's personnel were "mute spectators". "The investigation is on. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch. We are also probing whether he is a juvenile or not," said Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan
Joint Commissioner of Police (southern range) Devesh Srivastava said based on the statement of the victim, a case of attempt to murder has been registered.
Before the attack, the man also put out messages on Facebook stating "Shaheen Bhag Khel Khatam" (Run Shaheen, the game is over). Another message stated, "Please wrap me in saffron in my last journey with slogans of Jai Shri Ram". His Facebook profile was deleted after screenshots of his posts were circulated widely on social media platforms.
A Facebook spokesperson told PTI there was no place on Facebook for those who commit this kind of violence. “We have removed the gunman’s Facebook account and are removing any content that praises, supports, or represents the gunman or the shooting as soon as we identify it.”
According to its Dangerous Individuals and Organizations Policy, Facebook removes content related to terrorist activity, organised hate, mass murder (including attempts) or multiple murder, human trafficking, and organised violence or criminal activity.
Protesters detained at Delhi Police Headquarters
Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar after the incident and massive protests erupted with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel. As night fell, some demonstrators, including a woman, could be seen being forcibly taken away. Many sang the national anthem.
A large number of protesters, mostly students, also gathered outside the Delhi Police Headquarters to voice their anguish against the attack.
The large gathering outside the Delhi Police Headquarters, mostly comprising Jamia students, alleged that the police were hand in glove with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. They also alleged that the police were "mere spectators" when the assailant opened fire on the protesters near Jamia.
Protesters who were sitting outside Police Headquarters(old) at ITO against the firing incident in Jamia area yesterday, detained by Police.
Jamia VC hits out at Delhi Police
The Jamia Millia vice chancellor Najma Akhtar came down heavily on the police inaction after the incident took place.
"It has shaken our faith in police, they just watched as the man brandished the pistol and shot our student," she said.
Students recall the horror
Several students recapped how their peaceful march on Gandhi's death anniversary became violent
"We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend's hand," Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, told PTI.
She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was injured in his left hand and taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Al-Ameen, another student, said the man was brandishing his pistol and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi (Here, take your freedom)".
The students were heading from Jamia to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat. The march was stopped at the Holy Family Hospital near the university.
Students squatted in the area, asking the police to go back. As they raised slogans of "Go back, go back", police officials asked them to maintain peace and conduct their protest peacefully.
Shah directs strictest action
Home Minister Amit Shah directed Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to take the strictest action in the case of the man firing a pistol at protesters. The home minister also said the Centre would not tolerate such incidents and the guilty will not be spared. “I have spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner on the incident of firing in Delhi and have directed him to take strictest action," he said in a tweet. Shah said there would be serious action into the incident.
Opposition likely to protest in parliament
Ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of Parliament, leaders of several opposition parties will meet today to discuss the Jamia firing incident, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Population Register (NPR).
The meeting will take place at 9:30 am in Parliament. Also, the opposition leaders are likely to protest over these issues in Parliament.

Massive protests in Delhi's Jamia Nagar after student injured by armed man

Tension spiralled in Jamia Nagar on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a JamiaMillia Islamia student before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting "Yeh lo aazadi" amid heavy police presence in the area.
Massive protests erupted in the area after the incident with hundreds of agitated people gathering near the university, breaking barricades and clashing with police personnel.

The man was subsequently overpowered by police and detained. He was taken into custody and was being interrogated, police said.
The entire drama, which triggered panic in the area, was captured by television cameras that showed the man in light coloured pants and a dark jacket, walking away on an empty road barricaded by police, turning around and shouting at the protesters in Hindi, "Here, take this freedom." The gunman went live on Facebook before the brandishing the gun. Police said they were verifying whether it is his real name.
Before the attack, the man also put out messages on Facebook stating "Shaheen Bhag Khel Khatam" (Run Shaheen, the game is over). Another message stated, "Please wrap me in saffron in my last journey with slogans of Jai Shri Ram". His Facebook profile was deleted after screenshots of his posts were circulated widely on social media platforms.
Several students recapped how their peaceful march on Gandhi's death anniversary became violent.
"We were moving towards the Holy Family Hospital where the police had raised barricades. Suddenly, a gun-wielding man came out and opened fire. One bullet hit my friend's hand," Aamna Asif, a student of economics at the university, told PTI.
She said her friend, Shadab Farooq, a mass communication student, was trying to calm the attacker but he shot at him injuring his left hand.
Farooq, who belongs to Kashmir, was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
Ragibh Naushad, an LLB student at the university, said, "The Jamia Coordination Committee organised a march to pay homage to Gandhi ji on his death anniversary. It started at 12 noon from Gate number 7, but police denied the permission and stopped the march near the Holy Family hospital.
"A man came there and started brandishing a weapon and later shot a round. He was also chanting pro-CAA slogans." The incident led to panic in the area.
Khalid Hassan, a JMI alumnus, said initially many were not sure whether it was a gunshot or a tyre burst.
There was heavy police and media presence when the incident took place.
The students were heading from Jamia to Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat. The march was stopped at the Holy Family Hospital near the university.
Chinmoy Biswal, DCP (southeast), said the students wanted to take out a march from Jamia to Rajghat but were denied permission.
"They were being repeatedly told that the protest should be carried out peacefully. We had barricaded the road just before the Holy Family hospital. Meanwhile, a person was seen in the crowd who waved something which appeared to be a weapon." "We have detained him and are interrogating him. One person has also been injured," Biswal said.

Jamia submits report to govt, requests judicial enquiry into police action

The JamiaMillia Islamia has submitted a fresh report to the HRD Ministry requesting judicial inquiry into the entry of police on the university premises last Sunday.
The varsity had earlier submitted reports in the matter on December 15-16.

In the fresh report submitted to the ministry, Jamia reiterated its request for initiation of an inquiry committee or a judicial inquiry to the incident.
In its report, the varsity mentioned that police used teargas and lathicharge to disperse protesters gathered on Mathura Road and Julena Road.
The protesters while retreating took Maulana Mohd. Ali Jauhar Marg, which passes through the university campus, the varsity said in its report submitted by the registrar of Jamia.
The police had on December 15 purportedly stormed the library while looking for 'outsiders' who were involved in the arson and violence during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest outside the campus.
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", they claimed in the report.
It is submitted that no permission to enter inside the campus or library was given by university authorities.
"This unprovoked targeting of the innocent students who have nothing to do with the crowd resulted into severe and inhuman beating which led to the fracture of hands, legs and one student lost his eyesight because of the direct hit on the left eye by lathi," the varsity claimed.
"The faith in law and order and establishment has been badly shaken of the student who lost his eyesight after this brutal unprovoked targeting of such innocent students of the university," the report said.
While citing that the injured students were detained in New Friends Colony and Kalkaji police stations, the varsity urged that the committee should probe the unauthorised entry of police inside the campus.
It also requested a probe into the alleged use of "force and infliction of brutal and grievous physical injuries on the students" who were studying inside the reading rooms of the library.
"The committee should also probe the vandalising and damaging the properties of the library/university and also damaging the two-wheelers parked in the vicinity of library," the report said.
An early action as to the Constitution of a time-bound high-powered committee or judicial Inquiry will "restore the sense of justice on the students", it requested.
On Friday, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) visited the campus to probe the incident. The varsity wrote a letter to the commission to investigate the matter after the visit.
Jamia also wrote a letter to the joint commissioner of police, southern range, to take immediate action on the complaint filed by the varsity on which action has not been taken till now.