39 people have been killed so far in the riots that took place in northeast Delhi since Sunday evening.
More than 250 people have been injured as armed mobs rampaged through parts of northeast Delhi on Tuesday, looting and burning buildings. Delhi police had also issued shoot at sight orders in parts of the northeast district on Tuesday evening as the situation remained tense.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP leader Gopal Rai, visited riot-affected Shiv Vihar in Northeast Delhi on Wednesday evening. Around 7 pm, it was announced that the CM would visit some of the riot-affected areas in the capital. Before heading to Shiv Vihar, Kejriwal, along with Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, held a meeting with the DCP (Northeast) and other senior police officers to get an update about the situation in the violence-stricken areas. At Shiv Vihar, the CM met with the area’s residents and enquired if the situation was better in their locality. He spoke to several locals and lent them an ear as they vented about the violence that had transpired. While conversing with a local, the CM asked if the violence had settled down, to which the residents informed that they are trying to help each other.
The CBSE, in response to fears of students, has postponed Board exams scheduled for Wednesday in the region. These include two in English Literature for Class X and three in Media and Web Applications for Class XII. Meanwhile, the Delhi government has ordered all private and government schools to remain closed.
Meanwhile, an anti-CAA protest sit-in at Jaffrabad road was cleared by the police on Tuesday. In Chand bagh, fresh incidents of arson and stone-pelting were reported on Tuesday despite the imposition of Section 144.
In a midnight order, a bench headed by Justice S Muralidhar of the Delhi High Court asked the Delhi Police to evacuate all the injured from the hospital in Mustafabad and shift them to better medical institution nearby. In its reply, the Delhi Police told the bench that they have shifted 20 injured from the hospital in Mustafabad to other medical institution.
The violence started on Saturday last week after BJP leader Kapil Mishra carried out a rally in Jaffrabad area and gave a three day ultimatum to the anti-CAA protesters in the area to clear. “Three days’ ultimatum for Delhi Police – clear the roads in Jaffrabad and Chand Bagh. After this, we won’t listen to you,” he declared. In a video of the speech he can be seen making these incendiary comments even as a Delhi Police officer stands next to him.
Delhi High Court reprimanded the state police for its inaction against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur, Parvesh Verma who have given hate speeches against anti-CAA protesters and targeted Muslims.
The Court has clarified that the Commissioner of Delhi Police will not only consider the allegedly inflammatory clips featuring BJP leaders but also other similar clips that are in the knowledge of the Delhi Police. However, Centre transferred Justice Muralidhar to Punjab and Haryana Court on Wednesday night.