Video of Jamia students being attacked by Delhi Police surfaces, triggers sharp criticisms from Congress

The 49-second clip was released on social media on Saturday by Jamia Coordination Committee, which is a group of alumni and students.

The video shows students sitting at the university's Old Reading Hall (M Phil Section). Suddenly it shows that several policemen barge into the room and severely baton-charge students as they look for cover and escape.

Some students run out as cops continue to thrash them, showed the video.

On Dec 15 last year, massive violence broke out at the Jamia campus following a protest march of students over the contentious CAA.

The battle between police and students had ended with huge vandalism of properties and torching of vehicles.

The police then detained about 100 students in connection with the incident.

A student had also lost his left eyesight after getting injured in the violent clashes.

Following the surfacing of the video on Saturday, the Congress party heavily attacked the Centre over the incident of students getting thrashed by the Delhi Police inside the campus.

Tweeting in Hindi, party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted: "See how Delhi Police is badly thrashing the students. A boy is reading a book but a cop continues to beat him. Home Minister (Amit Shah) and Delhi Police had lied that they had not entered the library, thrashed the students."

"After watching this video, if no action is taken against police action at Jamia... the intention of the government will be exposed," she further wrote.

Seeking action against the cops responsible, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted: "CCTV footage has emerged showing police assaulting Jamia students without provocation. Horrifying. Exemplary punishment must be levied on these lawless policemen."

The alleged assault on students of Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University on the same day had sparked nationwide protests. 

Delhi Police had earlier responded to allegations stating that they "only acted to control the situation."

What is CAA?

The CAA will grant citizenship to all Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi but not Muslim refugees who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before 2015.