Protestors torched four public buses and two police vehicles as they clashed with police in New Friends' Colony near Jamia university during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act, leaving six cops and two firemen injured, officials said.
The trouble started during a protest by students of Jamia Millia Islamia. But a students' body later said they had nothing to do with the violence and arson and alleged that "certain elements" had joined in and "disrupted" the demonstration.
Soon after the violence, Jamia Millia Islamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmed Khan claimed that the Delhi Police entered the campus forcibly without any permission and beat up staff members and students who were forced to leave the campus.
Condemning the police action, university vice chancellor Najma Akhtar said students who were inside the library have been taken out and are safe.
Police said they entered the university campus only to control the situation, after protesters indulged in the violence.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said four buses and two police vehicles were torched during the protest, and six policemen were also injured.
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He said stones were pelted from inside the university campus at police personnel, forcing them to use teargas to disperse the "violent mob".
Biswal said some people have been detained but did not give details.
Escorted by police, some youths could be seen coming out of their hostels with their hands raised. Some of them claimed the police also entered the library and "harassed" the students
Sources said the police entered the campus while chasing some "outsiders" who had indulged in vandalism and were trying to hide on the premises
But the university chief proctor said, "Police entered the campus by force, no permission was taken. Staff members and students were beaten up and forced to leave the campus."