Jamia Violence: Blinded & Injured Students Urge Delhi HC To Direct Payment Of Compensation

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday continued the hearing in a batch of petitions pertaining to alleged police atrocities in the campus of Jamia Milia Islamia in December 2019 in the wake of protests against Citizenship Amendment Act 2019.

Advocate Siddharth Seem, appearing for Mohammed Minhajauddin, an LLM student who was blinded in one eye allegedly during the police crackdown, sought exemplary compensation for his client.

He read out the testimony of the student: Police were dragging students out of the toilets in order to beat them. He received blows on his head and his left eye. Police refused to assist the person whose eye was bleeding.

"This shows the complete apathy of the police. They're supposed to protect fundamental rights, not to attack the eyes of a person', Seem submitted before a division bench comprising Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan.

He submitted that Minhajauddin was a bright law student from a small village in Bihar who now lost his vision due to unnecessary police brutality.

Even though no compensation can be befitting for the loss incurred by the Petitioner, a sum of at least ₹5 crore should be granted, he submitted.

He submitted that his client was not part of any protests, and was studying in the library when the police attack took place.

Advocate Sneha Mukherjee appeared in a connected matter seeking compensation for students who suffered leg fractures after the police action.

'Police illegally entered the library and harassed students who had no connection with the protest. CCTV footage from the library corroborates the claim of the Petitioners", she submitted.

Additional Solicitor General, Aman Lekhi, refuted the arguments of the petitioners and said that the petitions were not maintainable.

He said that the petitioners were under a false impression that police carried out brutal attacks against innocent students. He argued against interference by the High Court at this stage when chargesheets have already been submitted before the trial court.

As the ASG sought another date for completing his arguments, the court decided to adjourn the matter till August 14.

The Court commenced elaborate hearing in the petitions related to Jamia violence yesterday.

Read the reports about yesterday's hearing :

Jamia Violence: 'Purpose Of Police Attack Was To Threaten Students To Never Participate In Anti-CAA Protests', Submits Sr Adv Gonslaves In Delhi HC

Jamia Violence: 'Police Cannot Become A Judge In Its Own Cause', Sr Adv Khurhsid Urges Delhi HC To Order Independent Probe

Jamia Violence: Police Acted With Sheer Vindictiveness Against Students, Submits Sr Adv Jaising In Delhi HC