Delhi Police did not open fire during the violent clashes on Sunday that involved members of the public and Jamia Millia Islamia students, sources within the Home Ministry said this morning. The denial comes amid questions over the use of firearms that were raised after the Medical Superintendent of a government-run hospital in the city told NDTV two patients had been admitted with bullet injuries. A third patient - who also suffered gunshot wounds - was admitted to another hospital.
Home Ministry sources also said 10 people had been arrested in connection with the violence and said that all 10 had criminal backgrounds. "More anti-social elements (are) being tracked", they added.
"No bullet was fired by the Delhi Police during protests at Jamia. All 10 persons detained have criminal background. More anti-social elements are being tracked," sources said citing a Delhi Police report.
Delhi Police, which has also been accused of using excessive force - both while attempting to control the initial violence and while rounding up and detaining Jamia students later in the evening - has repeatedly denied using firearms.
"There was no firing, no casualties in Jamia violence," MS Randhawa, the Public Relations Officer of Delhi Police, told reporters at a press conference on Monday afternoon.
"We have not shot anyone and we do not have rubber bullets," Devesh Srivastava, Joint Commissioner of Police, said. The cops also said it was possible the injured had been hit by splinters from tear gas shells, which have proved fatal in the past.
Although no students have been arrested so far, sources within Delhi Police said they had not been given a clean chit. Those arrested are from the Jamia and Okhla areas - both of which border the university - of the national capital, police added.
The trouble began on Sunday evening after what started as a peaceful march by students - against the controversial new citizenship law - ended in a pitched battle between a violent mob and Delhi Police. By the time the dust settled, several hours later, more than a hundred two-wheelers, at least three public buses and a fire truck were either torched or damaged.
The cops had also detained 100 students who were released at 3.30 am on Monday after a show of strength outside Delhi Police Headquarters by students from Jamia, DU and JNU.
Delhi Police had earlier said a Crime Branch team will investigate the violence, while Jamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar called for a high-level inquiry into the actions of the cops.
Violence had scarred parts of the country since the citizenship law - meant to facilitate grant of citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh - was passed. Much of the violence has taken place in the North East, Bengal and Delhi, and much of it has been led by the student community.
With input from PTI
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