Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review the situation in the national capital, a day after seven people – including a head constable – were killed in violence in Jafrabad, Maujpur and other areas of Northeast Delhi.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvinda Kumar, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik, Congress leader Subhash Malhotra, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari and party leader Rambir Bidhuri were present in the meeting.
Kejriwal had earlier held an emergency meeting of MLAs and officials from the affected areas and appealed the protesters to maintain peace. “I appeal to all Delhiites to maintain peace. We are worried about the violence in Northeast Delhi. Several policemen and civilians were injured and some lost their lives. Several houses were set on fire and shops were damaged. It is very unfortunate,” he said while addressing a press conference after the meeting.
“MLAs of the border areas have said that people are coming from outside. There is a need to seal the borders and do preventive arrests,” said Keriwal. He also said that some MLAs told him that the cops on the ground are not taking any action in absence of orders from the top. The Chief Minister assured that he will raise the issue during his meeting with Shah.
Meanwhile, there is uneasy calm in Jafrabad, the epicentre of violence where groups in favour of and against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA indulged in violence on Monday. The police have erected barricades on the road to prevent these two groups from coming in contact with each other. The anti-riot police force is on the spot.
The police has also imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC in the entire Northeast Delhi till March 24.
Those protesting against the CAA are sitting on the road, and leading the agitation are women who have refused to back down. Additional force has been called in.