Empty cartridge found from violence-hit area in Jamia: MHA

New Delhi: Ten people with criminal background have been arrested for allegedly being involved in the violence near Jamia Millia Islamia University here, police said on Tuesday.

The accused were arrested on Monday night, they said. According to a senior police officer, no student has been arrested.

The police did not fire any bullet on protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia, but an empty cartridge was found from the area, a senior Home Ministry official said on Tuesday.

A total of three persons were admitted to Safdarjung and Holy Family hospitals after the violence, the official said.

While the one admitted at Holy Family Hospital did not have any bullet injury and was discharged, separate police and medical probes were on into the nature of injury of the two admitted at Safdarjung, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official said.

The university had turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and also used force, following protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which led to violence and arson in which four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes were damaged

A senior police officer said raids are being carried out in various parts of Delhi's south east districts to nab those who indulged in violence during protests.

Delhi Police has registered two separate cases against unknown people for arson and rioting on Monday.

On Sunday, four public buses and two police vehicles were torched amid the clash between protesters and the police in New Friends Colony during a demonstration against the Citizenship Act, leaving nearly 60 people including students, police and fire fighters injured.

The force, thereafter, used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent mob and entered the Jamia university campus.

Jamia authorities and students claimed they had nothing to do with the violence and arson during the protest and alleged that "certain elements" had joined in and disrupted the peaceful march.

Katju's tweet goes viral

Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandeya Katju on Tuesday raised suspicions about the identity of a man who assaulted protesting students at Jamia varsity.

“Can anyone tell me who is this man in civil dress, with his face hidden, beating the students of Jamia, along with the police?,” he asked in a tweet. A picture of the incident was attached with the tweet.

Reacting to the tweet, several people said that the man in the photo is a local RSS worker, but it has not been confirmed yet.

'No bullet fired by police'

Home Ministry officials said no bullet was fired by police during the protests against the amended Citizenship Act at Jamia Milia Islamia University on Sunday,.

There have been allegations that police fired bullets on protesters during the agitation at Jamia.

"No bullet was fired by the Delhi Police during protests at Jamia.All 10 persons detained have criminal background. More anti-social elements are being tracked," the officials said, citing a Delhi Police report.

According to the Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

The Act says refugees of six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of 11 years earlier.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)