Delhi violence: Large deployment of security forces, situation under control

The situation in the violence-hit northeast Delhi was being brought under control after the large deployment of security forces. People in these areas mostly kept indoors as prohibitory orders were imposed and police personnel conducted flag marches.

New Delhi: With more boots on the streets, the situation in the violence-hit northeast Delhi was being brought under control on Wednesday even as torched vehicles and gutted shops and houses reflected the magnitude of the mayhem that continued for two days.

A heavy presence of police and paramilitary personnel was seen in the violence-hit areas, including Shiv Vihar, Gokalpur, Jaffrabad, Maujpur and Chand Bagh.

People in these areas mostly kept indoors as prohibitory orders were imposed and police personnel conducted flag marches.

The violence that started with stone pelting in Jaffrabad between groups of pro- and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Sunday left a trail of massive arson and violence.

One of the worst-hit areas, Shiv Vihar wore a deserted look with a large deployment of police and paramilitary personnel. Several shops and houses were gutted in rioting in the area in the past two days.

Thick plumes of smoke emanated from some of the shops with fire consuming stocks of goods including paints, batteries, fridges, furniture among others. Fire tenders were deployed to extinguish the flames.

Some houses were also burnt that stood blackened by soot.

Nearly a hundred vehicles kept in a private parking lot were completely gutted.

The roads were littered with brick pieces, empty tear shells and broken bottles with wicks showing the use of a petrol bomb by the mob.

Police and paramilitary personnel on duty said that a mob of thousands had gathered in the area and engaged in heavy stone-pelting. With the deployment of Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel the situation was brought under control, said a police officer on the duty.

In the lanes and bylanes of the densely-populated district, locals in many parts talked in hushed tones. Many of them claimed a higher toll in the violence in their areas although official figures put the number of deaths at 24 so far.

"I have heard that four people were shot, nobody knows whether they survived or not," said a local in Khajoori Khas without disclosing his name.

Delhi Police spokesperson Mandeep Singh Randhawa on Wednesday said that no untoward incident was reported on Wednesday. The number of distress calls to the police control room from northeast Delhi has also reduced, he said.

Personnel of RAF, SSB and CRPF have been deployed in the violence-hit areas.

So far 24 people have died and over 200 injured in the violence, hospital authorities said.

(PTI report)