CAA: On alleged police atrocities, SC says won’t hear matter in atmosphere of riots

New Delhi, Dec 16: The Supreme Court has said that it would take up matters relating to alleged police atrocities on students during the Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests.

The court however made it clear that the matter would be taken up only if violence, arson and damage to public property are stopped immediately.

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 continues, then it would not hear the matter.

Earlier, the students of the Jamia Milila 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.