Scores of protesters under the banner of the Jamia Coordination Committee who attempted to gherao Chief Minister Kejirwal’s residence, demanding action over riots in north-east Delhi, on early Wednesday morning were allegedly water cannoned and detained.

Following a late night call to hold demonstrations at the CM’s residence to demand effective measures be taken to control violence in north-east Delhi, the JCC in a statement said, “At about 3.30 a.m., water cannons were used to disperse the protesters”. It added that protesters stood their ground but were allegedly beaten up by the police and detained at Civil Lines police station.

MLC procedure

Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, at least 41 protesters were taken to Aruna Asif Ali Hospital under the pretext of treatment to the injured and releasing them, but were forced to undergo medicolegal cases (MLC) procedure under heavy police presence, the JCC alleged. “Doctors at the hospital are being pressurised to give a ‘normal’ report in the MLC,” the group said.

While many protesters remained detained during the day, a member of the JCC said that all those detained were later released.