Delhi Police's South East District DCP Chinmoy Biswal, while speaking to The Quint on the violence in Jamia Millia Islamia on Sunday, 15 December, said that police using tear gas shells on an agitating mob is quite lawful and it's the minimum thing that the police can do to disperse a violent mob.
On the incidents on Sunday that led to massive unrest in the area, Biswal urged an analysis of the incidents before posing questions. He said that a mob of around 1,500-2,000 people turned violent at Mathura road, and set DTC buses on fire. He added that the violent mob started pelting stones at the police when asked to stand back.
“When the mob at Mathura road, a mob of 1,500-2,000 people, turned violent, they set DTC buses on fire and started pelting stones at the police as well as the civilians. People’s houses in NFC have also been damaged.”Chinmoy Biswal, DCP, South East Delhi
Biswal further said that there was panic, after which the police asked protesters to disperse, but they did not listen. After that, "we used tear gas shells, something that is quite lawful and it's the minimum thing that the police can do."
On being asked about the police using force against the students of Jamia, the DCP said that when the police asked the crowd to end the agitation peacefully, the mob still indulged in violence.
“They were not retreating, rather they were pelting stones. It was a cat and mouse situation. To restore law and order, we had to advance with tear gas shells, and that is what we did.”Chinmoy Biswal, DCP, South East Delhi
When asked about the visuals of police firing in the air, he said, “There was absolutely no firing from the police's side and no death absolutely, these are just baseless rumours," Biswal said.
"Even I have come across many such videos, these are fake videos, it's not Delhi Police, they are being circulated to mislead the student community and the locals. We have not fired a single bullet. We only used tear gas shells to disperse the mob,” Biswal said.
Asked whether the police forcefully entered the campus, Biswal said that when the police managed to push the protesters beyond the premises, they were mobbed from both sides, which is when they had to contain the mob.
“It is our duty to go in, check and contain violence wherever reported and disperse the miscreants. That is what was done.”Chinmoy Biswal, DCP, South East Delhi
Biswal said that the Delhi Police is proud of the university and is there for all the students. He said that "however, no one can take the law in their own hands and indulge in violent activities. When we told them to disperse peacefully, they should have listened."
He doubted reports saying that the protests were peaceful until the police used force. He said that the protesters thronged the whole road in the 2-km stretch between Julena to where the university campus ends.
“The entire road was filled with boulders, stones and bricks. What kind of peaceful protests are these? If they had to disperse peacefully, they could have done it in the first instance.”Chinmoy Biswal, DCP, South East Delhi
He reiterated that rumours of policemen setting a bus on fire are baseless. "This is being misrepresented by rumour-mongers. The fire was prevented due to swift police action," he said.
On the mosque being vandalised, he said, “Absolutely not, from wherever stones were being pelted, the police was just going and checking to disperse the mob.”
"We are appealing to the protesters to maintain peace and order since violence has no place, it does not solve anything. No one can take law in their own hands under the garb of protests. We have appealed to the community as well. We would request them to remain peaceful in all such situations."
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