Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow

NEW DELHI, AUGUST 11—A prominent women organization, National Federation of India Women(NFIW) led by social activists Aruna Roy and Annie Raja, have alleged that the Delhi police used chemical gas and molested women students of the Jamia Millia Islamia on February 10 when they were protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and making a bid to march to Parliament building.

The allegations have been made in a seven-page report released to media. However, the police have denied the use of any gas or molestation of girls or attacks on private parts of men and women.

Called the fact-finding report, it was compiled by the organisation’s women activists after talking to victims, other students, teachers, activists, medical professionals, administrative staff and legal professional reports on the gruesome violence.

The report said that the chemical attack made the students immobile, caused drowsiness and severe headaches. The students also complained of choking, vomiting, muscle atrophy and spasms.

According to the report, about 70-80 persons were injured in police attack and about 35 men and 17 women suffered grievous injuries.

The section of the report on “sexual assault” says that “about 15 women and 30 men were assaulted in their private parts”.

“Women were molested by the male policemen, who attempted to tear their clothes, punched their breasts or stomped on them with their boots, as well as tried to insert their batons into their vaginas”, says the report.

“At least 15 women suffered injuries in their vaginas. We met a few women whose vaginas were torn due to the blunt end of the baton being inserted. The pain, pus and blood rendered them bed-ridden for weeks after the assault”, reveals the report.

“Women, as young as 16 and as old as 60, were sexually assaulted, many of who are suffering now from serious gynaecological complications”, the report goes on.

The team also came across men who suffered injuries in their sexual organs from police atrocities. “The sexual attack on men was equally severe. The attack on groin and rectum resulted in severe injuries. The heinous and common feature of the attacks on both the genders was an attempted demonstration of the unlimited power of the police over the protesters”, the report says.

The survey report says that the students, who were picked up by the police, were kicked in their groins while shifting them in buses to the police station. It says that when the students were released from police custody, they were not able to move due to severity of pain and injuries.

All the victims complained to the team members that the police personnel used abusive language and anti-Muslim slurs like “Pakistanis and Mullahs” while attacking them.

“Also, during the attack, the attackers were instructing each other on how and where to hit. “Ga..d mein maar”, “ch..t mein ghunsa de”, “maar ch..t mein randi ke” were oft-repeated abuses”, the report alleges.

The report says that the women were sprayed first with chemical agent. As they “collapsed”, they were beaten and molested. “Nearly, all of them complained of sexual assault”, says the report.

The attacks, according to report, were made with blunt objects and hence, there were no sharp injuries. “The instruments used for beating were batons, leather boots, elbows, knees and knuckles. It took days for patients to recover the extent of injuries as there was no visible bleeding or scars. Nearly all injuries were internal. It was only after X-ray that the fractures and internal injuries were identified”, the report points out.

All the injuries, the report says, were on four specific spots: chest, navel, groin and feet.  Many were also beaten on their head and neck. The victims said that the police were trying to maim them, fracture their skulls or paralyse them by targeting the spine. A male student said his spleen had ruptured.  Even handicapped and disabled, according to the report, were not spared.

“The inhuman manner and the ferocity of the assault, was apparently to drive home the point that the anti-CAA protesters are enemies of the State”, the report says.