TCN News
National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) President Aruna Roy has launched a fact-finding report on the February violence inside New Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamic (JMI) campus.
On February 10 this year, students of JMI, joined by civil society groups, locals and supporters initiated a peaceful march from the campus to the Parliament House to continue their ongoing protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register (CAA, NRC and NPR). Around 6 in the evening, Delhi Police suddenly began putting up barricades to stop further movement of the protestors and quickly swung into action “without any warning or announcement to disperse,” the report stated. Notably, this was the third time since December 15 violence in the university when the police had attacked anti-CAA protestors violently.
In its final copy, NFIW has made useful observations regarding the whole incident, compiling information from talking to victims, protesting students, teachers, activists, medical professionals, administrative staff, and legal counsels. Teachers, students and lawyers have resonated that “gruesome violence was perpetrated on the protestors,” while “use of chemical gas on peaceful protestors” was witnessed. There have also been reports of “targeted sexual violence on women.” From the testimonies of victims, “the role of both the police as well as those in plain or fake uniforms” have been confirmed in the campus violence. Also, it has been suspected according to narratives and first-person accounts that “RSS goons were seen in fake uniforms.” Students also recounted that “the vehemence and sense of vindictiveness of the attackers was extraordinary” whereas “the inhuman manner and ferocity of the assault” clearly reflected that it was done “to drive home the point that the anti CAA protestors are enemies of the State.”
About the pattern of attack, the report discusses that the spray was not tear gas as no complaints of tears or irritation to the eyes was registered. Instead, the protestors did complain about “immediate immobility, drowsiness, severe headaches, choking and muscle pain.” Many even shared that they were “unable to stand for hours after being sprayed on.” When the ones who got away from the direct source of spray complained of nausea and headache, it was seen that as they tried to get back to the barricades to help others, “they were either beaten up or sprayed on again rendering them incapable of any movement.” Such evidence affirm NFIW’s stand that “the spray was a chemical with serious health implications.”
The Delhi Police has categorically denied using any toxic or chemical substances on students, claiming it to be “mosquito fumigation spray.” Surprisingly, the medical administration of Holy Family Hospital which is nearly a kilometre away from the barricaded-site accused the police of a “totally false claim.” The authorities from the hospital said no such fumigation activity was carried out and even if it had been, “mosquito fumigation does not lead to the kind of reaction that the survivors faced.” Further, students also complained of vomiting, palpitations, muscle atrophy, spasms and limited mobility for over a week after the attacks.”
The NFIW report detailed the nature of attacks as well as the response from medics. While protesting students were taken to hospitals due to “Severe injuries in genitals and stomach,” no tissue or blood samples were recorded by the hospital administration. Those who suspected chemical gas in the spray police used against protestors were told by doctors and nursing staff that “even if they got any test done, the chemical would not be identifiable as it was a chemical that left behind no residue.” Most survivors the NFIW talked to, as well as the administrative staff of different hospitals and clinics, reiterated that “doctors were apparently intimidated by policemen in plainclothes to not conduct any tests.”
From public hospitals to private setups, most medical professionals in the area were “obeying the unwritten instructions of not conducting tests as well as not talking to people who were trying to enquire.” The report cites this as the main reason why survivor after a survivor was convinced into not seeking a blood test. “No doctor was ready to put the issue down on their prescription pads,” it said.
In response to the scale of violence, NFIW has pointed out that “using chemicals on unarmed civilian populations is a criminal act and has been declared illegal in various UN Conventions.” Moreover, there is no constitutional loophole that the police or any armed force can claim for validating their action.
In another section, the report discusses “excessive beatings” that were “more severe as were the traumas that the survivors suffered.” The doctors were treating “cracked and fractured ribs, ankle and bones.” Although the fierceness of attacks has been highlighted frequently, the NFIW report mentions that “the attacks varied according to gender.” Men were hit on their knees and when they fell on the ground, they were sprayed on with a mild liquid that rendered them immobile. They were also attacked on their genitals. Many were unable to speak, and the choking and headaches also rendered them unconscious. The attack on women was slightly different. The women were sprayed on first, and as they collapsed, they were beaten. Nearly all complained of attempted sexual assault. Simultaneously, all victims pointed to the “abusive language and anti-Muslim slurs used by the policemen while attacking, such as Pakistanis and Mullas,” in addition to derogatory swear words. The instruments used for beating were “batons, leather boots, elbows, knees and knuckles,” such that it took patients days to discover the extent of the injuries as there was no visible bleeding or scars. “Nearly all injuries were internal,” as X-rays couldn’t easily detect anything and after even weeks later fractures and other injuries were identified, the report said.
NFIW report compares the violence with that of JNU as the handicapped and disabled were not spared and “beaten as ruthlessly as every other protestor.” The section on sexual assault on women details that NFIW fact-finding team was able to find out about 15 women and 30 men who were assaulted in their private parts. Women were molested by the male policemen, “who attempted to tear their clothes, punched their breasts or stomped on them with their boots, as well as tried to insert their batons into the vaginas.” Several women suffered injuries in their vaginas, “whose vaginas were torn due to the blunt end of the baton being inserted.” The victims recalled that “the pain, pus and blood rendered them bedridden for weeks after the assault.” The report states that women as young as 16 were sexually assaulted, and “many of them are suffering now from serious gynaecological complications.”
A few metres away from the JMI campus about 30 boys (students and protestors) were picked up to be taken to the police station wherein in approximately a 40-minute bus drive to the station, “the boys were constantly beaten in the bus, their groins kicked at with boots.” When NFIW approached them for first-person accounts, doctors and lawyers were found reluctant to reveal details due to patient confidentiality while in some cases “the shame and fear of people finding out about the details of their injuries were reasons why the doctors were reluctant to talk about them.”
Based on its in-depth analysis of the police violence on unarmed civilians, NFIW report has accused the Delhi Police of not filing an FIR till date regarding the injuries suffered by the unarmed protestors. It has further stated that “there has been no semblance of accountability from the police regarding the brutality of its forces.”
The report has pointed that Jamia Teachers’ Association (JTA), had sought answers regarding the unprofessional manner in which the crowds were handled but to no avail. It has also noted that the police have denied use of any gas and hospitals have refused to officially give statements, but the witnesses and collectives like the Jamia Coordination Committee have been able to gather evidence regarding the use of some chemical substance being used. Besides, NFIW were also able to gather testimonies and eye witness accounts about chemical gas being used on unarmed civilians.
Regarding the “unprecedented police brutality on unarmed civilians,” the NFIW report has demanded the Ministry of Home Affairs “to give a white paper on the events of the 10th February, from the setting up of barricades to the detaining of students in the police station.” It has condemned the “selective detention” of scholars and “intimidation of survivors and related groups,” while simultaneously urging the government “to institute a special judicial enquiry to investigate the heinous nature of the crimes perpetrated by men in uniform.” Additionally, it has also sought a team of retired judge and doctors to investigate and submit a public report on the use of chemicals on the protestors, and the nature of injuries of the survivors.