New Delhi: Tension erupted during the anti-CAA protest march from Jamia Millia Islamia to Parliament here Monday. A scuffle ensued when police confronted the protesters who tried to push forward towards Parliament. In the melee that ensued, many from both sides fainted.
Coming up against four layers of barricades and massive security deployment, some of the protesters tried to climb over the barricades. But they met with stiff resistance from the police.
When shoes were hurled at the police from inside the ranks of the protesters, the organisers quickly stepped in to tell the protesters not to indulge in violence.
The anti-CAA march from Jamia Millia Islamia to Parliament began behind schedule Monday amid heavy security deployment. The police had earlier denied permission to the protesters for the march. The march to Parliament was called by the Jamia Coordination Committee against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
After an hour long standoff between the security forces and the students on Monday, the police resorted to a lathicharge on the protesters near Holy Family hospital which is within walking distance of Jamia Millia Islamia.
The lathicharge was made to push back the protesters. Some security forces personnel resorted to the lathicharge while others pushed back the protesters when they threw water pouches at the security forces and abused them.
The incident did not last for more than a minute as the protesters were pushed back. A similar march on January 30 had created a controversy after a man raising pro-CAA slogans opened fire injuring a protesting student.
IANS