Investigation contradicts Delhi police claim of no firing during anti-CAA protest

An internal investigation has proved the claim by Delhi police false that no bullet was fired by any police personnel during the protests against amended Citizenship Act at New Friends Colony, according to the Indian Express. This is mentioned in the case diary prepared by the Southeast district police officials, the Indian Express report says.

The incident happened when Jamia Millia Islamia anti-CAA demonstration turned violent on December 15 when students of Jamia Milia University and some local residents tried to march to the Parliament to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act but the police stopped them. Some agitated protesters allegedly started pelting stones, and police resorted to a lathi-charge on the crowd and even barged into the university campus.

After the protest, three students were admitted to Holy Family Hospital’ MLC (medico-legal case) reports; Mohd Taimin (23), admitted, Ajaz Ahmad (20) and Mohammed Shoaib (23), suffered injuries and each of them complained that Mohd Taimin had received a bullet injury. But after the investigation report, SIT is likely to approach them in the coming days to record their statements.

Earlier, the DCP (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal had denied the bullet firing incident during the Jamia protest, said, “The MLC report from Holy Family states that there’s an alleged history of a gunshot wound. This was written based on the statement of the injured. We have not fired bullets at any student. Any foreign body like metal or plastic could have caused injury. Two injured at Safdarjung too alleged gunshot injuries, but if anyone would have been shot at, the ambulance would take them to Holy Family or Fortis, which are the closest.”

Sources have now told The Indian Express that following the December 15 clashes, police personnel from the Southeast district were asked by senior officers whether any of them had fired bullets. All of them said they hadn’t.

But, a contradictory video went viral, showing two Delhi police personnel firing in the presence of their senior officer.

After which a source said, “The Southeast district police identified the personnel as well as the ACP, and it was confirmed that firing had, in fact, taken place.” On this, the personnel said, while giving a clarification on the video, that they fired in “self-defence” when some protesters turned violent and they found themselves cornered.

Two FIRs were filed in the violence at Jamia Nagar and New Friends Colony without mentioning the police firing.

“The specific case diary is yet to be handed over to the Crime Branch SIT, which took over the investigation on December 16. The SIT is probing 10 cases of rioting following Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik’s directives,” The Indian Express report quoted a police officer as saying.

DCP Biswal said he could not comment on the police firing as the investigation was underway.

Dr Sunil Gupta, medical superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital said, “Both patients have been discharged after being successfully treated at the hospital. Whatever foreign body was pulled out of their bodies has been sent to Delhi Police. Our role is to just provide basic treatment to the patient.”

“We had handed over the foreign body for further testing to Delhi Police. They will investigate to find out whether it was a bullet or a teargas shell,” Father George PA, director of Holy Family Hospital told the Indian Express.