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Mumbai, Dec 16: Condemning the police crackdown inside Jamia Millia university, several film industry insiders, including one from Hollywood, on Monday rallied behind the university's students and said the government is trying to stifle voices of dissent against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Hollywood star John Cusack joined prominent names from the Hindi film fraternity, including director Anurag Kashyap, Taapsee Pannu, Konkona Sensharma and Sudhir Mishra, in expressing his anger over Sunday's violence inside the campus.

Thousands of students across India took to the streets demanding a probe into the use of teargas inside the Jamia library as well as police entering the campus without permission from university authorities on Sunday.

Jamia turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and used force to quell student protests against the Act.

Many on social media noted the usual silence of top stars, directors and producers in Bollywood but there were many who voiced their support for student protests.

"Serendipity" star Cusack also took note of the videos from inside the campus, which were circulated widely on social media.

"Reports from Delhi are - it was a war zone last night - Fascism is not a joke - we use the word with the understanding, it's deadly," he said in a series of tweets after first asking for the context of the protests.

Director Anurag Kashyap, who had left Twitter in August this year, returned to the social media platform to voice his anger over the way student protests were handled.

"This has gone too far... (I) can't stay silent any longer. This government is clearly fascist... and it makes me angry to see voices that can actually make a difference stay quiet...," he tweeted.

Actor Taapsee Pannu said the videos of police action inside the campus are heartbreaking.

"Wonder if this is a start or the end. Whatever it is, this is surely writing new rules of the land and those who don't fit in can very well see the consequences. This video breaks heart and hopes all together. Irreversible damage, and I'm not talking about just the life and property," she wrote on Twitter.

Director Sudhir Mishra recalled his 1987 film "Yeh Woh Manzil Toh Nahin" with student politics in the backdrop.

"Towards the climax, the police enter the campus and brutally beat up the students. Nothing has changed. Terrible that now we know where the flowers (have) gone. Crushed!"

"We are with the students! Shame on you @DelhiPolice," said actor-filmmaker Konkona Sensharma.

"Newton" star Rajkummar Rao condemned the police action against the students while appealing for peaceful protests.

"I strongly condemn the violence that the police have shown in dealing with the students. In a democracy, the citizens have the right to peacefully protest. I also condemn any kind of act of destruction of the public properties. Violence is not the solution for anything!" he wrote on Twitter.

In a pointed tweet, actor Sayani Gupta said, "On behalf of the students of Jamia & AMU request at least one of you to tweet or message Mr Modi condemning this act of police brutality and violence against students. The time has come to speak up guys. Yes? No? May be? @RanveerOfficial, @karanjohar, @ayushmannk, @RajkummarRao."

South star Siddharth tweeted, "These two are not Krishna and Arjuna. They are Shakuni and Duryodhana. Stop attacking #universities! Stop assaulting #students! #JamiaMilia #JamiaProtest."

Writer-comedian Varun Grover said history will take note of what happened in Jamia.

"Whatever may be next, but this fact will always be in history that some cunning people tried to divide this great country in the name of religion, the most sacred place of a university, tears and gas on the students studying in the library, sticks, and rained abuses. The present will blur, history will remain," Grover tweeted in Hindi.

Actor Ali Fazal said now was not the time to stay silent, irrespective of one's ideological divide.

"It's funny, I felt, hey Ali, let's play it safe all these years. And now I can't. A lot of my colleagues may not speak up at all. But I pray we all realise there is no job, no career above humanity. Socho, aur time kam hai toh act fast (Think, and if you have no time, then act fast). Irrespective of your political ideologies right now," he said.

Actor Swara Bhasker said she was shocked by what had happened.

"Why are students being treated like criminals? Why are hostels being tear gassed.. ??? What is going on #DelhiPolice ???? Shocking and shameful!"

Actors Richa Chadha and Vikrant Massey and directors Anubhav Sinha, Onir and Reema Kagti were also among those who voiced support for those protesting against the Act.

Superstar Akshay Kumar found himself in a row after he accidentally liked a tweet tagging a video showing students running away from police personnel.

He said he had accidentally liked the tweet which read, "Badhai Ho... Jamia me Azaadi mili hai."

"Regarding the 'like' on the tweet of Jamia Milia students, it was by mistake. I was scrolling and accidentally it must have been pressed and when I realised I immediately unliked it as in no way do I support such acts," Akshay said.

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Indore (PTI): The Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry comprising a former HC judge to probe the issue of water contamination in city's Bhagirathpura, saying the matter requires probe by an independent, credible authority and "urgent judicial scrutiny".

It also directed the commission to submit an interim report after four weeks from the date of commencement of proceedings.

A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi constituted the commission while hearing several public interest litigations (PILs) filed simultaneously regarding the deaths of several people in Bhagirathpura due to the consumption of contaminated water.

The HC reserved the order after hearing all the parties during the day, and released it late at night.

The state government on Tuesday told the HC that the deaths of 16 people in Indore's Bhagirathpura area was possibly linked to a month-long outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.

The government presented an audit report of 23 deaths from the current gastroenteritis epidemic in Bhagirathpura before the bench, suggesting that 16 of these fatalities may have been linked to the outbreak of vomiting and diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water.

The report, prepared by a committee of five experts from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, stated that the deaths of four people in Bhagirathpura were unrelated to the outbreak, while no conclusion could be reached regarding the cause of death of three other people in the area.

During the hearing, the high court sought to know from the state government the scientific basis behind its report.

The division bench also expressed surprise at the state government's use of the term "verbal autopsy" in relation to the report, sarcastically stating that it had heard the term for the first time.

The HC expressed concern over the Bhagirathpura case, stating that the situation was "alarming," and noted that cases of people falling ill due to contaminated drinking water have also been reported in Mhow, near Indore.

In its order, the HC said the serious issue concerning contamination of the drinking water supply in Bhagirathpura area allegedly resulted in widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons.

According to the petitioners and media reports, death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record, it said.

It is averred that sewage mixing, leakage in the pipeline, and failure of civic authorities to maintain potable water standards have led to the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Photographs, medical reports, and complaints submitted to the authorities prima facie indicate a matter requiring urgent judicial scrutiny, the HC said.

"Considering the gravity of the allegation and affecting the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and the need for an independent fact-finding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter requires investigation by an independent, credible authority," it said.

"Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, former judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the HC added.

As per the order, the commission shall inquire into and submit a report on the cause of contamination -- whether the drinking water supplied to Bhagirathpura was contaminated; and the source and nature of contamination (sewage ingress, industrial discharge, pipeline damage etc).

The panel will also probe the number of actual deaths of affected residents on account of contaminated water; find out the nature of disease reported and adequacy of medical response and preventive measures; suggest immediate steps required to ensure safe drinking water as well as long-term infrastructural and monitoring reforms.

It will also identify and fix responsibility upon the officers and officials found prima facie responsible for the Bhagirathpura water contamination incident, and suggest guidelines for compensation to affected residents, particularly vulnerable sections.

The commission shall have powers of a civil court for the purpose of summoning officials and witnesses; calling up records from the government department, hospitals, laboratories and civic bodies; ordering water quality testing through accredited laboratories; conducting spot inspections.

All state authorities involving district administration, Indore Municipal Corporation, public health engineering department and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board shall extend full co-operation and provide records as sought by the commission, it said.

The state government shall provide office space, staff, and logistical support to the commission, it said.

During the hearing in the day, the state government also presented a status report to the court in this matter.

According to reports, a total of 454 patients were admitted to local hospitals during the vomiting and diarrhea outbreak, of whom 441 have been discharged after treatment, and 11 are currently hospitalised.

According to officials, due to a leak in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura, sewage from a toilet was also mixed in the water.

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