New Delhi: The CCTV footage of Police brutality beating, assaulting students in the library after entering the Jamia Millia Islamia premises without permission has gone viral on the internet driving heavy criticism was not released by the Varsity said the Jamia PRO Ahmed Azeem.
In their official statement, Mr Azeem said “It has come to our notice that some video with regard to police brutality in Dr Zakir Husain Library of the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is in circulation. This is to clarify that the video has not been released by the university.”
Meanwhile, Jamia Chief Proctor Waseem Ahmad Khan clarified the administration did not release the video but however confirmed the video was from the university library.
“The Jamia Coordination Committee, which is actually a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of students and alumni of JMI, is spearheading the movement against CAA/ NRC /NPA outside Gate No 7 of the university on Maulana Mohammed Ali Jauhar Road. This is to clarify that JCC is not an official body of the university. Any communication from JCC should not be taken as communication from the university,” he added.
Mr Azeem also said “a number of Twitter accounts, Facebook pages and other users on different social media platforms are using Jamia Millia Islamia’s name, creating confusion among people,” and that the varsity is in no way responsible for the circulations.
On the library video footage, he said, “Prima facie the footage seems to be of the MPhil & PhD section of the Old Library. Police are investigating the case.”
When questioned why the university distanced itself from commenting on the Police violence on its students, Azeem said, “We have already spoken about the violence. We have submitted a police complaint on police brutality and moved court for an FIR. We have mentioned it in our report to the MHRD as well. Today, the talk was about the footage, so we clarified that.”
The Chief Proctor said the footage had been submitted to the Delhi Police, NHRC, MHRD, the internal fact-finding team of the university as well as the Jamia Teachers’ Association.
Jamia Chief Proctor said the footage had been submitted to the Delhi Police, NHRC, MHRD, the internal fact-finding team of the university as well as the Jamia Teachers’ Association.
“We had, however, given it to them with the undertaking that they will not release it anywhere. We don’t know from where it has been released. There is nothing in the video that we haven’t already said. We have been saying from day one that police entered without permission, beat students and damaged our property. Still, we will inquire into the matter,” he said.
“The first committee has already submitted all evidence to the second committee. They are now working on it,” said Mr Azeem speaking on the status of the report.