Prohibitory orders in place, 6 arrested for violence in Delhi’s Seelampur during citizenship law protests

At least 21 people were injured on Tuesday, after the protest that had started with a peaceful march, soon took shape of a violent agitation.

New Delhi: The lanes of Jaffrabad, Seelampur and adjacent areas in north-east Delhi remained under tight surveillance with heavy police deployment till Wednesday morning, a day after locals resorted to stone-pelting when a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Tuesday afternoon turned violent.

Police personnel adjust their gear during a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Seelampur in East Delhi, on Tuesday. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

The police imposed prohibitory orders (Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, or CrPC) in the entire north-east Delhi on Wednesday, according to news agency ANI. Various police teams are also carrying out patrolling on the streets of Seelampur.

Joint commissioner of police (eastern range) Alok Kumar said the areas will remain under surveillance for the next few hours. He said they are working closely with peacekeeping committees of the areas to ensure such violence is not repeated.

Kumar said news of some stone pelting was also received from Brijpuri in Mustafabad. “We sent our reinforcements. No injuries were reported and the situation was controlled well in time,” he added.

The police also said they are also in the process of verifying the role of six people in the violence, whom they have arrested for instigating violence. “All are local residents. Their criminal background is being checked,” said RP Meena, additional DCP, north-east. “We are checking CCTV footage to identify more miscreants.”

The violence continued for over one-and-a-half hours as the police contingent, including RAF personnel, fired more than 200 tear gas shells and 46 gas grenades, and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the protesters.

Among the vehicles damaged by the protesters was a school van. They also torched three motorcycles and tried to set ablaze a police post on the main road between Seelampur and Jaffrabad.

The entry and exit gates of seven Metro stations on this stretch were closed and traffic was diverted.