A head constable of Delhi Police was killed and a deputy commissioner of police injured as clashes broke out for the second day on Monday in northeast Delhi's Jaffrabad and Maujpur during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Several houses, shops and vehicles were set on fire as two groups, for and against the CAA, clashed each other. Violence was also reported from Chandbagh and Bhajanpura areas. A petrol pump was set on fire in Bhajanpura.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. As violence escalated, Delhi Metro has closed Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar stations. The police also imposed section 144 of the CrPC, which prohibits assembly of four or more people, in areas affected by violence in northeast Delhi.
The violence comes hours before US President Donald Trump lands in the national capital.
The deceased police officer was identified as Ratan Lal, ACP Gokalpuri. He reportedly died after being injured due to stone pelting. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdara, Amit Sharma, along with several of his colleagues, was inured while trying to quell the protests.
Video footage shows a man moving towards a Delhi Police personnel with a gun in his hand. He shot a few rounds in the air.
"Very distressing news regarding disturbance of peace and harmony in parts of Delhi coming in. I sincerely urge Hon'ble 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)," tweeted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said the situation in the national capital was fully under control and sufficient forces were deployed on the ground.
"The situation in Delhi is fully under control. Senior police officials are on the ground and sufficient forces are also deployed at the spot," Bhalla told reporters.
Northeast Delhi has been witnessing intense protests since Saturday evening when a group of around 200 people, mainly women, staged a sit in near the Jaffrabad metro station. The group swelled into a large gathering by Monday morning, and the protesters blocked a major arterial road, prompting Delhi Metro to close Jaffrabad station.
The situation escalated after BJP leader Kapil Mishra called a gathering on Sunday. Mishra demanded that police remove the anti-CAA protesters within three days.
Following this, the groups for and against the CAA clashed each other in multiple areas, leaving entire northeast Delhi on the boil.
