Delhi: Old PHQ becomes site of midnight protest

Among the crowd were former and current students of Jamia and JNU, and Congress Delhi president Subhash Chopra, AAP leaders Imran Hussain and Ankit Lal, along with their supporters.

Most of them were demanding the withdrawal of the new citizenship law, apart from the release of students detained. (File)

It was 12:30 at night and the Delhi Police barricades parked outside the old police headquarters in ITO had become a makeshift podium for students to address the assembly of common citizens and politicians who were protesting “police brutality on Jamia campus and the detention of around 50 students”.

Among the crowd were former and current students of Jamia and JNU, and Congress Delhi president Subhash Chopra, AAP leaders Imran Hussain and Ankit Lal, along with their supporters. There was also visible anger against “media bias”.

Most of them were demanding the withdrawal of the new citizenship law, apart from the release of students detained.

Zafar Ali, a resident of Turkman Gate, said, “I was going to sleep, but then I saw the protest on TV. Anyone will understand that this law is biased against Muslims, so we are here.”

He felt the media was not showing the true picture of the turn of events. “They are accusing the students of rioting, when the fact is that it was the police that entered the campus and beat up students.”

Khwaja Asad, a former student of Jamia, too echoed similar sentiments.

A little distance away, Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa could be seen trying to negotiate with students: “We will listen to other demands too, but we request you to leave.” But many shouted back saying the students were yet to be released.

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Some protesters could be seen cleaning the trash around the protest site, while others distributed biscuits and water.

Around 4 am, protesters started leaving the site after being told students were released.

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