Policeman killed as clashes break out in Delhi over CAA for 2nd time in 24 hours

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday urged Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to restore law and order in the wake of violence in parts of northeast Delhi as supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) clashed with those opposing the legislation hours before US President Donald Trump is schedule to land in the national capital.

“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,” he tweeted.

A police constable died in the clashes, news agency PTI reported. A Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) rank official was, meanwhile, injured.

Head Constable Mohammad Salim was injured while saving kids from a mob in Bhajanpura. He was admitted to Jag Pravesh Chandra hospital in Seelampur. He suffered fractures in fingers and the left wrist.

The police issued a statement in the afternoon announcing prohibitory orders and appealing to residents in Delhi’s Northeast District to maintain peace and harmony and not to believe in any false rumors.

“Delhi Police is making every effort to restore normalcy. Sec 144 has been imposed in the affected areas of North East district and strict action will be taken against miscreants and anti social elements,” the statement said .

The clashes have taken place between Maujpur and Jaffrabad metro stations, both of which have been shut. Some shops and houses of people were also attacked in the area.

Tension escalated in northeast Delhi with protesters torching at least two houses and a fire tender in the Jaffrabad and Maujpur areas, where pro and anti-CAA groups clashed for the second consecutive day on Monday and hurled stones at each other.

Violence was also reported from the Chandbagh area in Jaffrabad.

A young man in his early 20s was attacked by a mob after which the police lathicharged the mob.

At Jaffrabad, arsonists targeted vehicles, burning a few of them and forcing other drivers to rush to safety.

The protest by women against the CAA near the Jaffrabad metro station that acted as a catalyst for the violence at Maujpur, however, continued. There is heavy deployment of police force in Jaffrabad.

Around 3 pm the police called in reinforcement.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had closed the Jaffrabad station Sunday morning and Maujpur later in the evening when the clashes broke out for the first time. The two stations are close to each other.

Buildings around the metro station at Maujpur have suffered damages and windows of many of them have been smashed.

The protest against the CAA in Jaffrabad began on Saturday night after about 500 women staged a sit-in and blocked a road.

Police also used tear gas Sunday evening in Maujpur after pro-CAA supporters and anti-CAA protesters attacked each other with stones soon after a gathering, called by BJP leader Kapil Mishra, demanded that the police remove the protestors within three days

Mishra who lost the Delhi assembly elections recently, said that he would give only three days to the police to clear the roads in Jaffrabad and Chand Bagh because US President Donald Trump would be in the city for a two-day trip from Monday evening.

“A three day ultimatum to the police -- to clear the roads and after that please do not try to convince us, we would not even listen to you,” Mishra said in a tweet.

Mishra said he gave ultimatum to police as those gathered at Maujpur Chowk would not leave the place unless some “concrete” assurance was offered to them.