CAA: Violence breaks out at Lucknow University, stone pelting reported

Lucknow, Dec 16: Massive protests have broken out at the Lucknow University over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

The protestors at the Nadwa University even resorted to stone-pelting during the agitation. As the protests broke out, the police locked the main gates and also placed barricades. The police are present in large numbers and are trying to control the mob.

The Superintendent of Police, Lucknow Kalanidhi Naithani said that there was a mob of 150 and they pelted stones for 30 seconds. The situation is normal now and students are going back to their classes, he also said.

Earlier the Supreme Court blamed the students for taking law and order into their hands during the protests on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde said that the court will not be bullied into hearing the petition alleging police atrocities.

The SC cannot be held ransom when public property is being destroyed. Just because they are students, they cannot take law into their own hands. Justice Bobde also said that the courts cannot do much. It is a law and order problem and the police have to deal with it, he also said.

The CJI further blamed the students and said that if they want to take to the streets, they can, but then they should not approach the Supreme Court.

The court is hearing a petition relating to alleged police atrocities at Delhi and Aligarh. The court will hear the matter tomorrow.

Chief Justice of India, S A Bobde said that they would determine the rights, but not in the atmosphere of riots. Let all of this stop and then we take suo motu cognisance. We are not against rights and peaceful demonstrations, Justice Bobde also said.

Earlier senior advocate, Indira Jaisingh mentioned the incidents at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. She urged the Bench to take suo motu cognisance of the issue and said that what happened was a very serious human rights violation.

Senior advocate, Colin Gonsalves told the court that a retired judge of the Supreme Court must inquire into the matter. The court, however, made it clear that if violence and destruction of public property continue, then it would not hear the matter.

Earlier, the students of the Jamia Millia University who were detained following a clash with the cops had been released. 35 students were released from the Kalkaji police station and 15 from the New Friends Colony police station.

The chief proctor of the university, Waseem Ahmed Khan said that the police had entered the campus by force, beat up staff members and students. The police, on the other hand, said that they fired tear gas shells and lathi-charged the protesters after they set fire to at least four buses and other vehicles. The protests were in connection with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

On Sunday night, the Delhi Minority Commission issued a directive to the Kalkaji police station to release the injured students of the university. The commission also asked the police to take the students for treatment at a reputed hospital without any further delay.

Following the crackdown, protests erupted on the campuses across the country. There were violent scenes witnessed at the Aligarh Muslim University on Sunday night following a clash between the cops and the students.

There were demonstrations held at the Banaras Hindu University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad and the Jadavpur University in Kolkata as well.