New Delhi: Delhi saw a fresh surge of violent protests Tuesday afternoon as angry protesters demanding the scrapping of the amended citizenship law torched several motor bikes, pelted stones at police and damaged public buses in Seelampur area.
According to a senior police officer, the protest began at around 12 pm. The protesters raised slogans against the new law as well as the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
A large number of policemen were deployed as the violence broke out, with police resorting to baton charges and firing tear gas shells to disperse the crowds. Plumes of smoke billowed from at least two localities.
Two bikes of traffic policemen were burnt by the demonstrators while a police booth in the area was damaged, police said.
According to the, protesters were marching from Seelampur towards Jafrabad.
Clashes erupted at Seelampur Chowk when security personnel tried to stop protesters from advancing.
#WATCH Delhi: Earlier visuals of protesters targeting policemen in Seelampur. #CitizenshipAmendmentAct pic.twitter.com/JPJLub29ln
— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2019
Delhi Police spokesperson MS Randhawa said the situation was under control in Seelampur, and CCTV footage from areas were being collected to monitor the situation. “Video recording is also being done. None of the people, involved in such incidents, will be spared,” Randhawa said.
The police closed all vehicular movement between Seelampur and Jafrabad. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation also ordered the closing of entry and exit gates of five metro stations in and around the area.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed to Delhi citizens to maintain peace. “No form of violence is acceptable in a civilised society. Nothing can be gained by violence. We should put forth our opinion peacefully,” he said.
The clashes erupted two days after violence broke out during a protest in the New Friends area in South Delhi near Jamia Millia Islamia.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
Also read: ‘Citizenship Act communal, don’t trust Modi-Shah’ — AASU to fight law in court & on streets
CAA a lightning rod for all matter of grievances. Across the country. That is a perceptive tweet from Ms Indrani Bagchi. Why such a head of steam has built up over time bears reflection. Certainly one cannot see how the question of refugees has so much resonance in India. At the moment, more Indians must be trying to emigrate from India without bona fide immigrant visas than foreigners, notably Bangladeshis, trying to sneak in.
Rioting and violence is breaking out only in Muslim areas and in Muslim dominated universities. This is in itself validates why we needed this law!! All over the world, whether it is England, Germany, France Spain,, where ever Muslims are there they have been responsible for Ghastly acts of violence