Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal On Delhi Violence: 'Situation Alarming, Call In Army'

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday calling the Delhi situation alarming said the Army should be called in to control the riots. This came after the death count in the communal violence over the amended citizenship law mounted to 20. Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal tweeted: "I have been in touch wid large no of people whole nite. Situation alarming. Police, despite all its efforts, unable to control situation and instil confidence Army shud be called in and curfew imposed in rest of affected areas immediately Am writing to Hon’ble HM to this effect (sic)."

Kejriwal had also requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to increase police force in violence-affected areas in northeast Delhi. He also visited the family of Delhi Police Head Constable Ratan Lal who was killed in violence on Monday. The chief minister faced protests as a crowd gathered outside Lal’s house in Burari and raised slogans asking him to go back.

"Violence can solve nothing. The people of Delhi should maintain calm and peace," Kejriwal urged on more than one occasion.

In the national capital, the local residents of the violence-affected areas faced harrowing times in getting their near and dear ones admitted to hospital. In fact, the Delhi High Court had to pass a midnight order to ensure safe passage for ambulances to reach the injured.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval late on Tuesday night reached Seelmapur in northeast Delhi to review situation.

For the third consecutive day, the police struggled to check the rioters who ran amok on streets, burning and looting shops, pelting stones and thrashing people.

After overnight incidents of arson, tension smouldered in the national capital and as the day progressed streets in several localities like Chand Bagh, Bhajanpura, Gokulpuri, Maujpur, Kardampuri and Jaffrabad saw pitched battles between the members of two groups who also hurled petrol bombs and opened fire.

(With PTI inputs)