Sumit Singh and Syed Abubakr, TwoCircles.net
New Delhi: Five years after the horrific events of December 15, 2019, when the Delhi Police, along with paramilitary forces, barged into Jamia Millia Islamia’s library and brutally thrashed students, the haunting memories of that day still linger for many. For Md Minhajuddin, a PhD law scholar, the scars are both physical and emotional. The 100% blindness in his left eye, the result of alleged police brutality that day, has made it difficult for him to concentrate on his studies. “I have to take continuous breaks and it has impacted my studies badly. More than anybody, I blame the Jamia administration for my sufferings,” he says, his voice tinged with frustration.
The violence erupted when Jamia students, protesting against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), were subjected to a violent crackdown by the Delhi Police. The cops barged into the campus, attacking unarmed students with lathis and tear gas. Eyewitnesses claimed that even students who were not part of the protest were targeted, particularly in the university’s central library.
Delhi Police’s Terrifying Impunity Inside Jamia
Minhajuddin, who was a second-year LLM student in 2019, recounts the terror that unfolded within the walls of his university. “I was inside the MPhil section on the first floor of Ibn Sina block in the library. We were studying when we heard that the police had broken into the building,” he recalls. As panic set in, Minhajuddin and his friends locked themselves inside, but the police soon reached their floor, breaking open the door and indiscriminately lashing out at anyone in sight.
“The lathis came down blindly. Without warning. Students were dragged and beaten mercilessly,” he remembers. As he tried to flee, a lathi strike hit his left eye. “My eye started bleeding. I ran downstairs and hid in the bathroom, where the police even came looking for more students. They saw me bleeding and moved on,” he says.
Eventually, he was helped to safety by a fellow student, Maqsood, who escorted him to the Alham-e-Iqbal Hostel. From there, Minhajuddin was taken to the Alshifa Hospital and later referred to All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) due to the severity of his injuries. The damage to his left eye, which led to permanent blindness, shattered his life, leaving his right eye vulnerable to further infection.
Back home in Bihar, Minhajuddin’s family was in shock. “My family had no expectations from the system. They told me, ‘Jo ho gaya ho gaya, ab wapas aao hamare paas’ (whatever happened, happened; now come back to us),” he says, his voice breaking.
‘Horror of the Day Still Haunts Me’
The images and videos from that night are still etched in the minds of many. A viral video showed students being paraded out of the campus by the police, hands raised, humiliated and traumatised. Speaking on condition of anonymity, one of the students recalls, “I can never forget that night. We were made to feel like criminals. The cops were inside our campus, asking us to leave. The horror of that day still haunts me.”
Another student, who was outside the campus during the protests, describes the atmosphere as one of fear. “As soon as the police entered, panic spread. It was chaos. Dahshat phail gayi, poora dar ka mahual tha (panic spread, there was complete chaos),” he says.
Why Jamia Failed to Stand Up for Its Students?
The very next day, December 16, 2019, Jamia Millia Islamia filed a complaint with the local police, as well as higher authorities, demanding action against the police. But despite the gravity of the situation, the police refused to register a first information report (FIR).
In January 2020, under mounting pressure from students, the university administration vowed to take the matter to court. But even this effort was unsuccessful. The Saket District Court dismissed the plea in February 2021, citing Section 197 of the CrPC, which grants police officers immunity from prosecution for acts done during the discharge of official duty.
When asked why Jamia did not challenge the court’s decision in higher courts, Dr. Quamrul Hassan, chief media coordinator at Jamia, said, “I am not apprised of the information in this particular matter.”
The Hopeless Hearing in the Delhi High Court
As the legal battle dragged on, students, residents of Okhla and local activists took the matter to the Delhi High Court, seeking an independent investigation, compensation and action against the guilty police officers. Over 45 hearings have taken place since December 2019, but the case remains unresolved.
In the latest hearing in November 2024, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing Jamia students, highlighted that 93 individuals had filed complaints against police attacks. However, not a single FIR had been registered. “It is only in our country that the police can be seen pelting stones and destroying public property,” he alleged.
Minhajuddin, who is among the petitioners, says the delay has eroded his trust in the judicial system. “This delay is highly disappointing. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he adds, expressing his frustration with the prolonged legal process.
NHRC Report: Petitioners Vs Police
The report of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the violence was also cited in the Delhi High Court Additional Solicitor Aman Lekhi argued that the police’s actions were justified due to the law-and-order situation. He claimed that protesters had hurled stones at the police and damaged public property, thus necessitating police intervention.
However, petitioners have disputed the NHRC’s findings, with Gonsalves arguing that the investigation was poor and dismissed significant evidence. The court, noting that the police action was not professional, has yet to pass judgment on the case.
No Heads Rolled?
Despite the severity of the violence, no disciplinary action has been taken against the police officers involved. Delhi Police’s Public Relations Officer Suman Nalwa did not respond to questions about whether any officers were held accountable.
Similarly, Jamia’s administration has not provided any updates on what steps it has taken to ensure the safety of students post-2019.
The Wait for Justice Can’t Go On
For Minhajuddin, the wait for justice is an agonising one. He is hopeful that the court will eventually rule in favour of the petitioners, but he is weary of the delay. “I believe in the due process of law, but the wait for justice cannot go on,” he says.
Frustrated with the lack of support from the Jamia administration, Minhajuddin adds, “The university has never been cooperative. Even in court, when Jamia is made a party, their lawyers appear, but we get no cooperation.”
Campus Clampdown Continues
As the fifth anniversary of the Jamia violence approached, the university once again found itself in the spotlight. On the eve of the commemoration, students were angered by a circular from the administration that shut down libraries, reading rooms and canteens for “maintenance work” — despite exams being underway. Student organisations, including the Student Federation of India (SFI), accused the administration of trying to prevent the event.
In response, the campus saw a heavy police presence, including riot control vehicles and paramilitary forces stationed at the gates. SFI-Jamia claimed that students were being restricted from entering the campus, as part of the administration’s attempt to stifle commemorations of the violence.
The delay in justice has only added to the sense of abandonment felt by students. As they continue to wait for answers, one thing remains clear: the battle for justice is far from over.