Delhi: Fresh Protests Break Out Against Citizenship Act In Seelampur's Brijpuri

Fresh protests broke out against the amended citizenship law in Seelampur's Brijpuri area on Tuesday night with people pelting stones on police personnel, officials said. The incident took place at around 8:30 pm, but was brought under control, they said. Police personnel have been deployed in the area to control any kind of violence, a senior police officer said.

Earlier in the day, angry protesters demanding scrapping of the amended Citizenship Act pelted stones at police personnel, torched several motor bikes and vandalised two police booths as well as three buses in Seelampur, leaving 21 people injured in fresh violence in the city.

The national capital continued to reel under swirling agitation against the alleged "divisive" law with thousands of students hitting streets near the Jamia Millia Islamia, where a violent protest had occurred on Sunday, and elsewhere for what they called "protecting the soul of India".

Twenty-one people, including 12 policemen and six civilians, were injured in the clashes in Seelampur which continued for one-and-half hours, while five persons have been detained, according to police. Police said they used tear gas shells to disperse the mob but denied that there was any baton charge on protesters.

As fresh clashes erupted in Delhi and elsewhere, leaders of opposition parties knocked on the doors of President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to advise the Centre to withdraw the "unconstitutional and divisive" citizenship amendment law.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who led the opposition delegation, alleged the Modi government was "shutting down" people's voices and bringing legislations which are not acceptable to them. In the backdrop of the violence, Union Home Minister Amit said he has directed the Delhi Police to maintain law and order and to ensure peace in the national capital.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik briefed Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and other senior officials of the ministry on the violence at Jamia Milia University and Seelampur during anti-CAA protests and the prevailing situation in the national capital, officials said.

The home ministry officials are said to have expressed their unhappiness over the two incidents happening within just three days, an official said, adding they asked the Delhi Police brass to strengthen intelligence gathering mechanism so that such incidents do not occur in future.