A police constable has reportedly lost his life after a massive clash broke out between protesters agitating against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and those supporting the law in Northeast Delhi’s Maujpur area on Monday.
The spot is near Jaffrabad, where a protest has been on since Saturday night against the citizenship law.
As per reports, one Delhi Police head constable has lost his life and a DCP has been injured during clashes between the two groups in Delhi’s Gokulpuri.
The deceased head constable Ratan Lal was attached to the office of the assistant commissioner of police.
Several other police have also been reportedly injured.
The clash turned violent as protesters resorted to throwing stones at each other across a road, standing close to police barricades and setting vehicles ablaze.
Meanwhile, Section 144 has been imposed at ten locations in Northeast Delhi in view of the violence.
Violence also erupted in Northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura area.
Two cars have been burnt down by the protesters in Jaffrabad. The front part of a petrol pump was also burnt down by the protesters in Bhajanpura.
Stones, Molotovs were being thrown in Khajuri Khas. Tear gas shells are also being fired by the police to bring the situation under control.
In all the clash affected areas, both the pro and anti-CAA protesters are pelting stones at each other intermittently.
Meanwhile, Delhi LG Anil Baijal in a tweet said that the Delhi Police and the Commissioner of Police have been instructed to ensure that law and order is maintained in North East Delhi adding that the situation is being closely monitored.
The LG also urged people to exercise restraint for the maintenance of peace and harmony.
This came as Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal and Union Home Minister to restore law and order in the wake of violence in parts of northeast Delhi during protests for and against the new citizenship law.
“Very distressing news regarding disturbance of peace and harmony in parts of Delhi coming in.
“I sincerely urge Honourable LG n Hon’ble Union Home Minister to restore law and order n ensure that peace and harmony is maintained. Nobody should be allowed to orchestrate flagrations (sic),” he tweeted.
The trouble started on Sunday afternoon when local BJP leader Kapil Mishra decided to hold a rally in favour of the law. At the rally, the BJP leader gave an “ultimatum” to the Delhi police to clear the roads at Chand Bagh and Jaffrabad or else, he said, they would have to hit the streets.
Meanwhile, four cases have been registered in connection with the violence during protests between pro and anti-CAA groups in northeast Delhi’s Jaffrabad and nearby areas, police said on Monday.
In the wake of violence in the northeast district, entry and exit gates of Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave, and Shiv Vihar metro stations have been closed. Trains will terminate at the Welcome metro station.