2 min readNew DelhiDec 21, 2019 09:58 AM IST
First published on: Dec 21, 2019 at 04:49 AM IST
A scene from Seelampur, where 30,000 people gathered through the day and police were on their toes. (Express Photo: Prem Nath Pandey)
Three days after violence broke out in North East Delhi’s Seelampur during a protest against the new citizenship law, thousands turned up on the streets for a protest despite prohibitory orders.
Joint CP (Eastern Range) Alok Kumar said, “A total of 30,000 people protested at Seelampur, and 15,000 each in Mustafabad, Khajuri, Brijpuri and Shastri Park. Apart from police personnel, 10 companies of CRPF and RAF were also deployed to contain the protesters.”
Despite barricades, police presence and 10 drones in the area, at least 2,000 protesters managed to breach the barricades and reached Delhi Gate in the evening, where a private vehicle was set ablaze. Police resorted to lathi charge and used water cannons. At least 45 people have been admitted to Lok Nayak hospital.
Kumar said, “At all vantage points, police was alert as crowds were massive. From Yamuna Khadar side, some people managed to climb on to Signature Bridge and then GT Road.” A senior police officer said “efforts were made to stop them but the numbers swelled and it was a tough task”.
In Shahdara’s Seemapuri, protesters allegedly pelted stones at police and Additional DCP (Shahdara) Rajbir Singh suffered injuries on his forehead. “Protests in the district were largely peaceful, apart from one incident of stone pelting which lasted a few minutes,” said Kumar. Police also took out a flag march with maulvis and Aman Committee members of the area in the afternoon.
The Seelampur protest started in the afternoon after Friday prayers, despite prohibitory orders, and dispersed early evening. At 5.30 pm, however, a group from Loni gathered at the same spot. Kumar said, “Local leaders circulated WhatsApp videos to people to not indulge in violence and announcements were also made on police microphones.”
A scene from Seelampur, where 30,000 people gathered through the day and police were on their toes. (Express Photo: Prem Nath Pandey)
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