Almost a month and many protests later, police have admitted in private to opening fire at Jamia Millia Islamia, during the university’s protest against CAA, on Sunday 15th December.
According to a video released by NDTV, the officers revealed in private that they did use firearms as a source of self-defence.
What started off as a peaceful protest, turned violent, as people started pelting stones at police causing them to use tear gas, and eventually, opening fire at Jamia Milia last month.
In addition to this, the police also entered the institute and thrashed innocent students. By Sunday evening, social media was filled with horrific videos of the incident; including one in which two policemen pulled out their guns and fired at the direction of protestors, who were throwing stones at them.
There was another, in which, one policeman was clearly shown drawing a gun and opening fire on Mathura Road.
This, subsequently led to a huge uproar on the streets, as well as on Twitter, and Instagram, with many shaming the Delhi Police’s behaviour. The law enforcement force initially denied the allegations of police brutality, blaming a few protestors, who allegedly caused damage to public property (and were arrested later).
The matter was further looked into, and in the video released by NDTV, it was revealed that the police did open fire as per entry in a diary, which is maintained by each police station.
Earlier in the investigation, an officer said, “We won’t be able to confirm it as the investigation is with SIT. If it was done, then it was an act of self-defence. No separate inquiry is required”.