CAA violence: Tense scenes in Northeast Delhi, death toll climbs to 9

Northeast Delhi continued to be tense on Tuesday morning, a day after protesters for and against the controversial citizenship law clashed and threw stones at each other, set vehicles and shops on fire. Nine people, including a policeman, have been killed and over 50 have been injured in Monday's unprecedented violence. Section 144 has been imposed in Northeast Delhi for one month.

Reports say that stones are being thrown in several Northeast Delhi neighbourhoods such as Maujpur and the fire department has been getting more SOS calls. A group of people have reportedly set a fire engine ablaze and threw stones at another, injuring three firefighters in the area.  

Maujpur in northeast Delhi was the epicenter of the violence on Monday, which later spread to areas like Kardampuri, Chand Bagh, Dayalpur and Bhajanpura. This happened less than 24 hours after violence in neighbouring Jaffrabad.

On Tuesday, passengers travelling in a rickshaw in Maujpur were thrashed and looted of their valuables this morning, according to reports. Restrictions have been put in place and paramilitary forces have been called in.

The Delhi government has ordered all private and government schools to be closed in the northeast Delhi district to remain closed on Tuesday in the wake of the violence. All internal examinations have been cancelled. Delhi Metro has closed the Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar stations.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal held an urgent meeting of MLAs and officials from the violence-hit areas. 

Kejriwal called for sealing the city's border in areas that saw violence to prevent "outsiders" from entering the national capital and creating trouble. He said he has got reports that the "police could not do anything" to prevent trouble.

Officials said on Tuesday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the prevailing situation in the city in the wake of violence in northeast Delhi.

The meeting was held late Monday night after Shah's return from Ahmedabad, where he had attended the “Namaste Trump” event addressed by US President Donald Trump.

Shah reviewed the law and order situation in Delhi and directed officials to restore normalcy at the earliest, a Home Ministry official said.

Those who attended the meeting included Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Arvind Kumar, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, among others. 

Local MLA and Delhi minister, Gopal Rai, too has urged people to maintain peace.

A head constable was among those killed and at least 50 others, including several paramilitary and Delhi Police personnel, were injured as violence spiralled over the amended citizenship law in northeast Delhi on Monday.

Protesters torched houses, shops, vehicles and a petrol pump, besides hurling stones. Large gatherings have been banned in Northeast Delhi under Section 144. 

Reports say that hundreds of women had been carrying out a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the Jaffrabad Metro Station since Saturday night. On Sunday afternoon, BJP leader Kapil Mishra posted a tweet inviting those supporting the CAA to Maujpur Chowk at 3 pm as an answer to the blockade at Jaffrabad.

By 4.30 pm, there was a scuffle between pro and anti-CAA protesters that resulted in stone throwing. Police had to fire teargas shells to bring the situation under control.