NEW DELHI: Communal violence in northeast district of Delhi claimed 34 lives with tension smouldering in the national capital caused by pitched battles in localities triggered by the contentious amendment made in the Citizenship Act in December 2019.
The continuing protests against and in favour of the amendment resulted in an all-out clash starting February 23 which continued with police saying no new incidents of violence were reported since Wednesday night.
Affected areas of northeast Delhi include Jafrabad, Chand Bagh, Maujpur, Bhajanpura, Kardampuri, Gokulpuri, Khajuri and Karawal Nagar.
Here are the top developments:
PM Modi & CM Arvind Kejriwal remained mute spectators: Sonia Gandhi
Addressing the media after meeting the President, Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi said that the Centre failed miserably and PM Modi, as well as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, remained mute spectators.
She said, "We call upon you (President) to ensure that life, liberty, & property of citizens are preserved. We also reiterate that you should immediately call for the removal of the home minister for his inability to contain violence."
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh urged the Centre to follow the "raj dharma".
Sonia Gandhi, former PM Singh and other party leaders on Thursday visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on violence in Delhi.
Death Toll
As per latest update on Thursday, another seven succumbed to the injuries on Thursday morning, taking the toll to 34.
The last figures of death toll on Wednesday stood at 27. Out of these, 25 deaths were reported from Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital and two casualties were reported from Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.
Among casualties caused by the communal violence are Intelligence Bureau official Ankit Sharma whose body was found in a Chand Bagh drain on Wednesday and head constable Ratan Lal. A 13-year-old girl, class 8 student, who had gone to school to write an examination in the Khajuri Khas area three days ago, went missing amid the violence.
Delhi police failed to act on itelligence input
Sources said the special branch of Delhi police and the intelligence wing had sent multiple alerts through wireless radio messages to northeast district and the police brass.
The first alert to step up deployment and increase vigil was sent after BJP leader Kapil Mishra posted a tweet at 1.22 pm asking people to assemble at Maujpur Chowk at 3 pm to support Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, what unfolded on February 24 showed that police were ill-prepared to tackle the violence.
Situation returning to normal: Delhi police
SN Shrivastava, special commissioner of police (Law & Order) on Thursday said, "As of now, the situation is returning to normal. We are registering cases and proceeding with legal action. Soon, we will be making arrests. I hope all these things will contribute to normalcy."
Judge hearing Delhi violence case transferred
Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation.
The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.
While Congress spokesperson condemned the notification asking BJP, "How many judges will you change", Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad shot back saying that the transfer was "done pursuant to the recommendation dated 12.02.2020 of the SC collegium headed by CJI" and that while transferring the judge, "consent of the judge is taken."
Delhi police registers FIR
Delhi Police has registered 18 FIRs and 106 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in North-East Delhi.
"Miscreants are being identified. We have the CCTV footage and strong evidence. No untoward incident took place today," said Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa.
USCIRF comments 'factually inaccurate and misleading': External affairs ministry
Commenting on remarks made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on violence in Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the observation was 'factually inaccurate and misleading' as Delhi' law enforcement agencies were working on the ground "to prevent violence and ensure restoration of confidence and normalcy. Prime Minister has publicly appealed for peace and brotherhood," he said.
USCIRF had written that the Indian government should take swift action, "Instead, reports are mounting that the Delhi police have not intervened in violent attacks against Muslims, and the government is failing in its duty to protect its citizens," in its statement.
Flag marches on Thursday
Security forces conducted flag marches early morning on Thursday in different parts of northeast district to monitor the situation in the area. Security has been deployed at various locations in the district including Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar.
Supreme Court raps Centre over police inaction
A Supreme Court bench comprising justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, while referring to the incidents of violence said the situation could have been avoided if police had timely interfered and taken action against people making provocative speeches.
SC also said that environment is not conducive to hear plea against Shaheen Bagh protest and deferred the hearing for a month.
The bench said that it's high time that SC verdict in Prakash Singh case be implemented to make police more effective and professional to deal with the situation arising in Delhi in the last few days.
How did the anti-CAA protests got violent
Peaceful protest against Citizenship Amendment Act started on December 15, 2019, after the legislation was approved in the Parliament. The protests continued across the country and in Delhi on January 10, few Muslim women started another peaceful protest at Seelampur traffic signal roadside. On February 22, nearly 500 women squat in protest at the Jafrabad Metro Station. When more protesters came out against CAA on February 23, BJP functionary Kapil Mishra issues ultimatum to both protesters and police to vacate the roads within three days. Hours later Mishra's tweet, clashes broke out in northeast regions and on February 24, a pro-CAA group decided to hold a protest at Maujpur Chowk. The clashes a day before coalesced into a communal riot by February 24.
The continuing protests against and in favour of the amendment resulted in an all-out clash starting February 23 which continued with police saying no new incidents of violence were reported since Wednesday night.
Affected areas of northeast Delhi include Jafrabad, Chand Bagh, Maujpur, Bhajanpura, Kardampuri, Gokulpuri, Khajuri and Karawal Nagar.
Here are the top developments:
PM Modi & CM Arvind Kejriwal remained mute spectators: Sonia Gandhi
Addressing the media after meeting the President, Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi said that the Centre failed miserably and PM Modi, as well as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, remained mute spectators.
She said, "We call upon you (President) to ensure that life, liberty, & property of citizens are preserved. We also reiterate that you should immediately call for the removal of the home minister for his inability to contain violence."
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh urged the Centre to follow the "raj dharma".
Sonia Gandhi, former PM Singh and other party leaders on Thursday visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan to submit a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind on violence in Delhi.
Death Toll
As per latest update on Thursday, another seven succumbed to the injuries on Thursday morning, taking the toll to 34.
The last figures of death toll on Wednesday stood at 27. Out of these, 25 deaths were reported from Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital and two casualties were reported from Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital.
Among casualties caused by the communal violence are Intelligence Bureau official Ankit Sharma whose body was found in a Chand Bagh drain on Wednesday and head constable Ratan Lal. A 13-year-old girl, class 8 student, who had gone to school to write an examination in the Khajuri Khas area three days ago, went missing amid the violence.
Delhi police failed to act on itelligence input
Sources said the special branch of Delhi police and the intelligence wing had sent multiple alerts through wireless radio messages to northeast district and the police brass.
The first alert to step up deployment and increase vigil was sent after BJP leader Kapil Mishra posted a tweet at 1.22 pm asking people to assemble at Maujpur Chowk at 3 pm to support Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, what unfolded on February 24 showed that police were ill-prepared to tackle the violence.
Situation returning to normal: Delhi police
SN Shrivastava, special commissioner of police (Law & Order) on Thursday said, "As of now, the situation is returning to normal. We are registering cases and proceeding with legal action. Soon, we will be making arrests. I hope all these things will contribute to normalcy."
Judge hearing Delhi violence case transferred
Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation.
The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed "anguish" over the Delhi Police's failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders.
While Congress spokesperson condemned the notification asking BJP, "How many judges will you change", Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad shot back saying that the transfer was "done pursuant to the recommendation dated 12.02.2020 of the SC collegium headed by CJI" and that while transferring the judge, "consent of the judge is taken."
Delhi police registers FIR
Delhi Police has registered 18 FIRs and 106 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in North-East Delhi.
"Miscreants are being identified. We have the CCTV footage and strong evidence. No untoward incident took place today," said Delhi Police PRO, MS Randhawa.
USCIRF comments 'factually inaccurate and misleading': External affairs ministry
Commenting on remarks made by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on violence in Delhi, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the observation was 'factually inaccurate and misleading' as Delhi' law enforcement agencies were working on the ground "to prevent violence and ensure restoration of confidence and normalcy. Prime Minister has publicly appealed for peace and brotherhood," he said.
USCIRF had written that the Indian government should take swift action, "Instead, reports are mounting that the Delhi police have not intervened in violent attacks against Muslims, and the government is failing in its duty to protect its citizens," in its statement.
Flag marches on Thursday
Security forces conducted flag marches early morning on Thursday in different parts of northeast district to monitor the situation in the area. Security has been deployed at various locations in the district including Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar.
Supreme Court raps Centre over police inaction
A Supreme Court bench comprising justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, while referring to the incidents of violence said the situation could have been avoided if police had timely interfered and taken action against people making provocative speeches.
SC also said that environment is not conducive to hear plea against Shaheen Bagh protest and deferred the hearing for a month.
The bench said that it's high time that SC verdict in Prakash Singh case be implemented to make police more effective and professional to deal with the situation arising in Delhi in the last few days.
How did the anti-CAA protests got violent
Peaceful protest against Citizenship Amendment Act started on December 15, 2019, after the legislation was approved in the Parliament. The protests continued across the country and in Delhi on January 10, few Muslim women started another peaceful protest at Seelampur traffic signal roadside. On February 22, nearly 500 women squat in protest at the Jafrabad Metro Station. When more protesters came out against CAA on February 23, BJP functionary Kapil Mishra issues ultimatum to both protesters and police to vacate the roads within three days. Hours later Mishra's tweet, clashes broke out in northeast regions and on February 24, a pro-CAA group decided to hold a protest at Maujpur Chowk. The clashes a day before coalesced into a communal riot by February 24.
Download The Times of India News App for Latest India News.
more from times of india news
Get the app