Doval visits violence-hit areas, assures people of complete peace
Two days after the clashes in North-east Delhi, which claimed 27 lives, including a Delhi Police Head Constable, the situation remained tense but under control with heavy presence of the security forces in the riots-affected areas.
A few incidents of violence were reported in some other places, including Joharpuri area in northeastern part of Delhi bordering Uttar Pradesh, with shops set ablaze and the body of an IB staffer found in a drain near Maujpur with multiple stab wounds on his body. As police conducted flag marches and security personnel spread out across the northeastern edge of national Capital in a bid to quell the violence raging since Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first reaction to the event appealed for peace and brotherhood.
More than 200 people have been reported to be injured in riots between the pro and anti-Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) groups, which took place in Maujpur, Gokulpuri, Gautampuri, Jafrabad, Shiv Vihar, Bhajanpura, Seelampur, Kardampuri and Chand Bagh areas in North-east Delhi.
Asserting that it was important that calm was restored at the earliest, Modi wrote on Twitter, “Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy.”
The task of bringing the situation under control was given to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. “What has happened has happened. Inshallah, there will be complete peace here,” Doval said as he walked through the mostly mixed neighbourhoods of North-east Delhi and met locals.
On Tuesday, he undertook a late night tour with Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and newly-appointed Special Commissioner (Law and Order) SN Shrivastava.
Shrivastava is believed to have been handpicked by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after current police chief Patnaik faced flak for failing to curb the spiraling violence against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump’s visit, sources said.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court scolded the Delhi Police on Wednesday for failing to act professionally and to check incidents of violence in northeast Delhi. The apex court lashed out at the law enforcing agencies for allowing the instigators of violence to get away and said they should act independently as per law without waiting for somebody’s nod.
“If somebody makes an inflammatory remark, police has to take action,” it said.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court also directed the Delhi Police to take conscious decision with respect to lodging of First Information Reports (FIR) against alleged hate speeches by three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in connection with the CAA violence and convey by Thursday. The three BJP leaders are — Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma.
On day three of the trouble, the death toll rose from 13 on Tuesday to 24 on Wednesday. “The death toll has risen to 27,” GTB Hospital Medical Superintendent Sunil Kumar said.
Calling the situation in North-east Delhi alarming, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Army should be called in as police is “unable” to establish control.
Shops and schools were closed and many streets deserted with police making announcements that none should venture out of their homes. There was heavy deployment of force in Chand Bagh with security personnel not allowing anyone to come out. The blackened walls of a mazaar in the locality spoke volumes of the violence the day before.
After two days of mobs marauding the streets, looting shops and setting property on fire, there was uneasy quiet in the locality on Wednesday.
However, in Gokulpuri, smoke darkened the skies with rioters setting on fire shops. Their livelihoods lost with their shops looted and their children in a state of panic after witnessing the bloodshed, many people were seen leaving their homes. Among them was a family that promised to be back, but said they did not know when.
“Of the 24 killed since Monday, four were brought to the hospital from the LNJP Hospital,” a senior GTB Hospital official said.
Asked if the victims have been identified, he said, “Many people have been identified, some are yet to be. The gush of injured patients had reduced to a trickle.”
“Patients have several kinds of injuries, including from gunshots, stones and other weapons and many were hurt while jumping from rooftops to escape the rioters,” hospital authorities said.
Holding the Centre and the Delhi Government responsible for the violence -- perhaps the first time since 1984 that the city has seen such scenes of communal mayhem -- Congress president Sonia Gandhi called for the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah.
“The conspiracy was witnessed during Delhi polls and BJP leaders gave hate speeches creating atmosphere of fear and hatred,” she said.
Shah must take responsibility for the violence in Delhi and resign, she said.
The slugfest continued with the BJP, in turn, accusing Gandhi of politicising the violence.
“Violence is ending. Investigation is on to find out the truth and identify culprits... At such a time, attacking Government and politicising violence is dirty politics,” said Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, adding that it also demoralises police.
In a midnight hearing, the Delhi High Court directed police to ensure safe passage to Government hospitals and emergency treatment for those injured in the communal violence erupted in northeast Delhi over the amended citizenship law.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have arrested 106 people for their alleged involvement in the northeast Delhi violence and registered 18 FIRs.
According to Mandeep Singh Randhawa, the Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime, no untoward incident was reported on Wednesday and PCR calls from northeast Delhi have reduced.
Police also released two helpline numbers -- 011-22829334, 22829335 -- for people to reach out during distress.