Massive protests broke out Thursday as hundreds of people, mostly students, gathered outside Jamia Millia Islamia in the Indian capital to protest firing on a student at the hands of a gun-wielding man.
The students intending to take out a march toward Raj Ghat have been stopped by police who have placed barricades on the road and brought water canons.
“The stand-off is going on as students are agitating and trying to take out a march,” a police official said. “We are trying to pacify the student and so far situation is under control.”
Earlier in the afternoon, a young man pulled out a revolver and fired upon a group of students protesting against the controversial citizenship law near the university. The firing wounded a university student, who was moved to hospital.
Students alleged the police present in huge strength at the spot did little to prevent the man from shooting at peaceful students.
Police said the assailant has been taken into custody and was being questioned.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said he had ordered stringent action in the shooting incident and “the culprit will not be spared.”
Fearing protests, following the attack authorities closed entry and exit gates of several Metro stations.
Meanwhile, police foiled an attempt from activists and students to form a human chain against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act – National Register of Citizens (NRC). The policemen detained people who assembled at Raj Ghat for the proposed human chain.
Authorities had deployed policemen in full strength at the places to disallow the protesters from forming human chains.
Protests against the controversial new citizenship law were triggered late last year when India’s upper house of parliament passed the law. Since then there has been no let-up in the protests.
The law aims at granting citizenship to illegal immigrants belonging to six religions – Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Parsi and Christianity – from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Opposition parties and civil society members in India criticize the law as contrary to secular principles enshrined in India’s constitution as it excludes Muslims.
So far, the violence against the law has killed at least 29 people across India.
Until now four Indian states have passed resolutions in their respective lawmaking bodies against the controversial law.
Protestors confront with Indian police during a protest in New Delhi, India, on Jan. 30, 2020. Massive protests broke out Thursday as hundreds of people, mostly students, gathered outside Jamia Millia Islamia in the Indian capital to protest firing on a student at the hands of a gun-wielding man. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
