New Delhi: A civilian succumbed to injuries hours after a police head constable was killed in the clashes that broke out between pro-and anti-CAA groups in the aftermath of the tension that escalated in northeast Delhi on Monday afternoon.
About 50 people, including 30 police personnel and a deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) were also injured in the violence. Protesters also torched a petrol pump, two houses, seven shops, a dozen-odd vehicles and a fire tender in Jaffrabad and Maujpur, where clashes occurred for the second consecutive day.
A total of eight CRPF companies have been deployed in North-East Delhi area, including two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) and a company of women security personnel.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said all government and private schools to be shut on Tuesday in violence affected North East Delhi. He said he has requested HRD minister to postpone board examination scheduled on Tuesday in North East District of Delhi.
BJP spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi on Monday said the death of a Delhi Police head constable in violence over the amended citizenship law was a “ploy” to embarrass India during US President Donald Trump’s visit and likened it to the massacre of Sikhs in Chattisinghpura in 2000 during the then US president Bill Clinton’s trip to the country. “
Shocked to hear the death of HC Sh Ratanlal in a brutal & barbaric manner. This reminds me of massacre of Sikhs in Chattisinghpura during Clinton’s visit.
Incidents change but anti India forces remain the same. Ploy to embarrass India, Request all to remain calm & maintain peace,” she said in a tweet.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury held the Centre responsible for the violence that has erupted in Delhi over the CAA and appealed to all to maintain peace.
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.
One FIR has been registered at Welcome police station while another has been lodged at Jafrabad police station. Two other FIRs have been registered at Dayalpur police station, they said.
The Congress, meanwhile, questioned the ‘silence’ of Home Minister Amit Shah over the clashes in Delhi and demanded his resignation, as party leader Rahul Gandhi urged people to show restraint, compassion and understanding irrespective of the provocation.
The party also blamed the Delhi Police for failing to maintain law and order in the city and criticised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for having “shaken off his responsibility”, saying people of Delhi are paying the price of a political blame game.
Gandhi said peaceful protests are a sign of a healthy democracy, but violence can never be justified. “The violence on Monday in Delhi is disturbing and must be unequivocally condemned. Peaceful protests are a sign of a healthy democracy, but violence can never be justified,” he tweeted.
