Delhi remained on edge Sunday as rallies during the day and rumours in the evening led to several panicked calls to the police over fears of violence in parts of the city. (Express Photo Abhinav Saha)
Delhi Riots Today Live News Updates: The Supreme Court on Monday decided to hear on March 4 a plea filed by Delhi riot victims seeking registration of FIRs against politicians for hate speeches which allegedly led to violence in the national capital. With one more body being brought to Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital on Sunday evening, the death toll in Delhi violence rose to 46 on Monday.
With the Budget Session of Parliament beginning on Monday, the Congress has decided to raise the issue of the Delhi riots and demand the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.
Delhi remained on edge Sunday as rallies during the day and rumours in the evening led to several panicked calls to the police over fears of violence in parts of the city. Police said that no violent incidents had taken place and that they were patrolling various areas. West Delhi DCP on Sunday rejected claims of tensions in various parts of west Delhi and urged the public not to fall for such rumours. In a separate tweet, Delhi Police said some anti-social elements were spreading rumours to disturb peace. “It has been observed that some anti-social elements are spreading rumours to disturb peace. People are advised to neither spread nor trust the rumours. Law and order situation of the whole city is under control,” it said.
Highlights
Rajya Sabha proceedings were Monday adjourned till 2 pm amid protests over the riots in northeast Delhi last week. Congress, Trinamool and AAP MPs staged separate dharnas near the Gandhi statue over the Delhi riots.
The death toll due to the violence in northeast Delhi last week touched 46 on Monday, with four more fresh deaths reported from the Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. Till now, 38 deaths have been reported from GTB Hospital, three from Lok Nayak Hospital, one from Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, four from RML.
The Delhi High Court on Monday asked police to file a status report on steps taken for treatment and rehabilitation of violence-affected people in northeast Delhi, news agency PTI reported.
The Supreme Court on Monday decided to hear a plea seeking registration of FIRs against politicians for hate speeches on March 4, news agency PTI reported. A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde agreed to hear the plea filed by riot victims. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the riot victims said that the Delhi High Court has deferred for four weeks matters related to riots in the national capital despite the fact that people were still dying due to the recent violence.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Monday tweeted that the government is working towards providing relief to those in need. 'We are working 24/7 to make sure relief efforts reach all in need. If u know of anyone who is in need, use #DelhiRelief to reach us. Pl do mention exact address/contact details so that we can reach him. We will ensure a quick response from our agencies,' he tweeted.
Around 3 pm on Monday, when a mob in Shiv Vihar began charging towards Rajdhani Public Senior Secondary School, its caretaker Manoj Kalauni (37) and his family fled from a broken window at the back. For the next 60 hours, the family — Kalauni, his wife and two children — were holed up in another school about two kilometres away. Read here
The second leg of the Budget session of Parliament that begins Monday is likely to start on a stormy note with the Congress deciding to raise the issue of the riots in northeast Delhi last week and demand the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.
In a significant order at a time when questions are being raised over the delay in conducting the post-mortem of those killed in the riots in northeast Delhi, a local court has directed police and a hospital to shoot videos and photographs of the examination of the body of a man who succumbed to head injuries on February 26, a day after he was released from detention.
Five days after it came under the sweep of Northeast Delhi’s communal violence, Shiv Vihar resembles a war zone, its traumatised populace, narrow lanes lined with charred cars, motorbikes, strewn with shards of glass, pieces of bricks and stone, buildings with gaping cracks and fallen walls, reflecting the ferocity of the violence. Residents in the locality said that outsiders, including many from the nearby “Murgi Farm area”, were the perpetrators of violence.
The youngest casualty in the riots that broke out in the city last week is 15-year-old Nitin Kumar, a Class VIII student at a government school in Gokulpuri. His father Ram Sugarak (48) said Nitin had gone out of his house at 2.30 pm on February 26 (Wednesday) to buy chowmein.
Delhi remained on edge Sunday as rallies during the day and rumours in the evening led to several panicked calls to the police over fears of violence in parts of the city. Police maintained no violent incidents had taken place and that they was patrolling various areas. Panicked calls were made in the evening from Rajouri Garden, Uttam Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Dwarka, Kalkaji, Madanpur Khadar and Badarpur.
The Central government is '100%' responsible for the violence in Delhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Sunday. He accused the saffron party of playing divisive politics in the national capital after losing the Assembly elections. Addressing the convention of the NCP in Mumbai, Pawar also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his speeches in the run-up to the Delhi elections. "As per Constitution, public representatives and the ruling party are not responsible for the law and order situation in Delhi. That responsibility lies with the Union government. Hence whatever is happening in Delhi, its 100% responsibility lies with the Union government, as it is responsible for law and order," news agency PTI quoted Pawar as saying.
Delhi Police on Sunday evening rejected reports of tensions brewing in west Delhi and advised people not to spread or believe in rumours. In a tweet, Delhi Police said the law and order situation of the whole city was under control. “It has been observed that some anti-social elements are spreading rumours to disturb peace. People are advised to neither spread nor trust the rumours. Law and order situation of the whole city is under control,” Delhi Police said. So, what lead to such rumours in the national capital, which till recently was grappling with communal violence? Read here...
In a bid to dispel rumours about fresh violence in Tilak Nagar, Aam Aadmi Party leader Jarnail Singh posted a video on Facebook showing normalcy in the area.
Joint CP (Western Range) Shalini Singh is in Khyala. She urges people to not believe in rumours. "No violence has taken place here. Situation is completely normal. We, the Delhi Police, are present here for your protection," she adds.
Faridabad Police Commissioner K K Rao is monitoring the situation. "These are rumours (reports of violence), everything has been verified. We appeal to everyone to not believe in or spread rumors. Action will be taken against rumour mongers."
DCP Metro said all the metro stations are functional and running smoothly. No any damage or disturbance is reported, he added. Some of the metro station gates were temporarily shut after rumours of fresh violence erupted from parts of the national capital on Sunday evening.
DCP Dwarka is in the area from where the rumours of fresh violence emerged, said personal assistant of the officer. "All these are rumours, nothing found at ground level. Please don't pay attention to the rumours," he added.
A team of Khyala police station had gone for raiding a gambling nexus in plain clothes, from where 25 people managed to escape and police started chasing them. Rumours were circulated following the incident.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation tweeted Sunday evening that the entry, exit gates of all metro stations have been opened.
Delhi Police warns of strict action against those spreading rumours about violence. "It is seen that some chaotic elements are spreading rumours that disrupt the peace system. People are warned not to spread these rumors nor to trust them. Law and order are completely under control in Delhi and the situation is calm. Rumors are being dealt strictly. The citizens of Delhi should fulfill their responsibility and help in maintaining peace," they tweeted.
Southeast Delhi DCP refutes claims of violence, says, "We have verified all such calls so far. No such incident has taken place. These are rumours only. Please refrain from such things."
Entry and exit of Nangloi, Surajmal Stadium, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Uttam Nagar west and Nawada are closed, says DMRC.
West Delhi DCP rejects all claims of violence in various parts of Delhi, says, "Rumour is the biggest enemy."
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation stated Sunday that the entry and exit gates of Tilak Nagar Metro station have been shut.
Delhi Police Additional PRO Anil Mittal confirmed Sunday that three more unidentified bodies have been recovered from the drains, raising the death toll to 45.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the AAP government is putting best efforts to provide relief to the people affected by communal violence in northeast Delhi. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said he is personally trying to ensure that relief reaches each person in need, asserting that the government wants people to return to their homes and be welcomed by their neighbours.
"We r putting best efforts. I am personally trying to ensure that relief reaches each person in need. Our aim is to bring their life back on track. We want people to return to their homes and be welcome by their neighbours," he tweeted.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Sunday said in a statement that it was ready to conduct a re-test for candidates who could not appear for the board exams in view of the violence in northeast Delhi that erupted last week. School principals and the Directorate of Education, Delhi, have been requested to provide a list of candidates who could not appear in the examinations.
In view of the tense situation prevailing in northeast Delhi areas of Jafrabad, Seelampur, Babarpur and Mudtafabad, exams were postponed by the CBSE till February 29. The exams will be now conducted as per schedule from Monday. READ MORE
Calling the Delhi violence as 'targeted structural violence,' AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said the responsibility lies at the doorstep of the BJP government and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the affected areas. Addressing a public meeting on AIMIM's 62nd foundation day here, the Hyderabad MP reiterated his charge that the violence happened due to the speeches made by BJP leaders.
'This communal riot happened with full planning and preparation. An atmosphere of hatred was created. It cannot be called a communal riot but it is pogrom,' he alleged. 'We were hopeful that you (Prime Minister) might have taken some lesson from 2002 (Gujarat riots) and ensure such thing would not recur...,' Owaisi said.
Referring to slogans raised by some youths in Metro stations in Delhi, he said, '.. who are these people telling 'goli maaro desh ke gaddaron ko' (shoot the traitors). Prime Minister this riot happened with planning. This is targetted structural violence and its responsibility is on you.' The responsibility of Delhi riots lies at the doorstep of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, he said. (PTI)
Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar visited some of the riots-hit areas, including Brahmapuri, and consoled the people disturbed by the worst violence in three decades in Delhi. "It is so disturbing to see that so many people are badly affected.
We have to relieve them of trauma and bring their lives back on track. Everyone should come together to do this," he told reporters."We should learn from these people who saved others, who have stood for humanity. And we should sideline and punish the anti-social elements," he added. (PTI)
Questioned on the raising of slogans like desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaron saalon ko (What should be done with traitors of the country? Shoot them), Union minister Anurag Thakur Sunday said mediapersons saying such things ‘were lying’, and that they should be ‘better informed’.
Thakur was asked about the slogan he had raised in the run-up to the Delhi elections — and which is said to have played a part in inciting the recent Delhi violence — at an event in Chandigarh on Sunday. In response, the minister of state (MoS) for finance said: “You are lying. You people should first inform yourself. Half knowledge and misinformation are dangerous.” READ MORE
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday sanctioned a relief of Rs 10 lakh to BSF constable Mohammad Anees, whose house was burnt in the communal violence in northeast Delhi.
The chief minister, who was saddened to know that the constable's house was set on fire by mob, spoke to him, a statement from CMO said. Patnaik has also sanctioned Rs 10 lakh to the constable from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, it said.
Anees is associated with the 9th battalion of the border guarding force deployed in Maoist affected district of Malkangiri in Odisha, according to the statement. The battalion of BSF is responsible for overall security in the 'Swabhiman Anchal' - erstwhile cut-off area-which includes Gurupriya bridge in Malkangiri district, it said.
Acting Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava on Sunday visited DCP Amit Sharma who is undergoing treatment after suffering serious injuries during clashes over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in northeast Delhi, officials said.
Shrivastava has been given the additional charge of Delhi Police Commissioner, following Amulya Patnaik's retirement on Saturday. Shrivastava visited Max Hospital in Patparganj and inquired about the health of Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), who suffered injuries to his head and hand in violence in Gokulpuri on February 24.
A 2010-batch IPS officer, he was admitted to Max Hospital, Patparganj on Monday and underwent a surgery. The officer's vehicle had been set afire by protesters. (PTI)
Communal violence in Delhi and protests against the new citizenship law are the issues likely to dominate the proceedings at the three-day annual meeting of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's top decision-making body starting from March 15, sources said on Sunday. The annual meet of the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha will be held in Bengaluru from March 15-17. The Pratinidhi Sabha is the highest decision-making body of the Sangh which meets once a year to take decisions and decide the future course of action.
BJP president JP Nadda and the party's general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh are expected to attend this all-important meeting, a source in the Sangh said. Another senior Sangh functionary said the recent violence in Delhi, protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act are among the issues likely to dominate the brain-storming sessions during the meeting. (PTI)
The Congress will strongly raise the issue of communal riots in Delhi during the second part of the Budget Session in Parliament starting on Monday and demand Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over alleged police lapses. Party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party will strongly raise the issue of riot-torn Delhi and ask why the violence happened. "The government has miserably failed to maintain law and order. I think there must be some sort of a nexus between the rioters and a section of police officials which resulted in gruesome killings and arson that has tarnished our image across the globe. This is a matter of serious concern for us," he told PTI. "We will continue to raise the demand of Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation on the floor of the House," Chowdhury added. (PTI)
The situation in northeast Delhi on Sunday morning remained peaceful with heavy police deployment in the areas which witnessed communal riots. Security personnel have been holding regular talks with locals to maintain communal harmony. "The situation is under control now. There is adequate force deployed in all the areas of the northeast district. We are holding talks with locals and are trying to rebuild confidence in them," a senior police official said. No untoward incident has been reported from the district over the past two days, he added. Police are also urging residents to not pay attention to rumours on social media and report them to authorities. (PTI)
Section 144 has been imposed in Shaheen Bagh and adjoining areas, said DCP South east RP Meena.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik sanctions relief of Rs 10 lakhs from CM Relief Fund to BSF Constable Mohd Anees whose house in North East Delhi's Khajuri Khas area was set on fire during Delhi violence. He is working in 9th Battalion of BSF deployed in Naxal affected Malkangiri, Odisha. (ANI)
Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said that the Modi government is determined to go to the bottom of the truth to unveil the conspiracy behind the violence that rocked northeast Delhi last week. 'During last week, we have witnessed disturbances in Delhi. Unfortunately, many innocent people lost their lives & property, including a brave constable. Rumours unleashed by a section of political parties, social media and media added fuel to fire,' he said in Hyderabad. 'The Modi government is determined to go to the bottom of the truth to unveil conspiracy, if any, to trigger riots. I will reiterate, CAA is not to take away the citizenship of any Indian but to give citizenship to persecuted religious minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan,' he added.