Five people, including a head constable, were killed and over 50 others sustained severe injuries as violence spiralled over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in northeast Delhi, turning it into a battlefield on February 24th, 2020 with enraged protesters torching houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump, tyre market, and pelting stones.

Head Constable Ratan Lal was posted in the ACP Gokalpuri office in Delhi. Protests broke out between pro and anti-CAA demonstrators across multiple northeast Delhi neighbourhoods like Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Chandbagh, Khureji Khas and Bhajanpura for a second time on February 24th, 2020c.

The clashes took an ugly turn when the protesters of both the sides started pelting stone at each other. Lal was severely injured on his head in the attack while trying to pacify the agitators.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Shahdara, Amit Sharma and ACP (Gokalpuri) Anuj Kumar were injured while trying to quell the protests. Two CRPF police personnel were also injured in the clashes, PTI reported.

Police had to resort to firing tear gas shells and lathi-charge to disperse the protesters. Security personnel conducted flag marches and prohibitory orders were clamped to bring the situation under control.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted appeals for action to put an end to the violence in parts of east Delhi.

Prominent lawyers, journalists and Twitter users took to social media to slam Union Home Minister Amit Shah — under whose purview the Delhi Police falls. US President Donald Trump and his family are also in Delhi.

Shah held a late night urgent meeting to take stock of the violence that rocked Delhi.

Here are the top 10 points:

• All internal examinations in government and private schools in violence-hit northeast Delhi have been cancelled. “Schools shal remain closed in North east district,” tweeted Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
  
• Delhi Police has detained a 33-year-old for allegedly firing eight rounds in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur. He has reportedly been identified as Shahrukh several media reported. Police said that an investigation into the incident is on.
  
• Delhi Traffic Police have issued an advisory to commuters to avoid some roads and warned of heavy traffic jams “owing to security reasons”.

• Kejriwal has called an urgent meeting of MLAs and officials from the violence-hit areas. “I am very worried about the prevailing situation in certain parts of Delhi. All of us together should make all efforts to restore peace in our city. I again urge everyone to shun violence,” the Delhi Chief Minister tweeted.

• Delhi Metro has closed the Jaffrabad, Maujpur-Babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johri Enclave and Shiv Vihar stations.
  
• Gatherings have been banned in northeast Delhi under Section 144.
  
• Reuters photojournalist Danish Siddiqui shared photos of a Muslim man surrounded by several men armed with sticks and poles in Chandbagh area of northeast Delhi. The man who is bleeding from his head was hit by a sharp object, Reuters reported. The image went viral on social media and triggered a debate among the netizens.
  
• Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged people to show restraint, compassion and understanding irrespective of the provocation. 

• 45 injured have been admitted to in GTB Hospital in Dilshad Garden. 15 in Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital in Shahdra while 6 injured policemen are undergoing treatment at Max Hospital.
  
• Delhi L-G Anil Baijal has instructed the police commissioner to maintain law and order in the national capital.

Photo: Twitter