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Pro & anti-CAA groups clash in Jafrabad; two metro stations closed

New Delhi: Clashes broke out Sunday evening between pro and anti-CAA groups near Jafrabad in NorthEast Delhi where a large number of people had gathered to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Police fired tear gas shells as members of the two groups pelted stones at each other in Maujpur. Owing to security reasons, the entry and exit gates of the Maujpur-Babarpur and Jafrabad metro stations have been closed.

More than 1,000 people, the majority of them women, staged a sit-in on Saturday night near the Jafrabad metro station demanding a rollback of CAA. The protesters have blocked road number 66 which connects Seelampur with Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar which resulted in traffic snarls. According to protestors, police resorted to tear gas shelling and lathicharge to disperse the agitators. However, DCP (North East) Ved Prakash Surya said that they have used minimum force on the protesters.

Earlier on Sunday, BJP leader Kapil Mishra had called a gathering near the Maujpur traffic signal in support of the amended citizenship law following which a second group had assembled in the area.

According to an eye witness, two factions of the protest, one which was supporting CAA, another that was against it clashed. "Can't say who started it, but the police, as usual, was late in taking matters into its hand," said a protester on social media. Many protesters also said they had difficulty in sending messages and videos due to jammers. Alok Kumar, Joint CP (Eastern Range) said that the situation is under control now. They have deployed forces in the area to maintain peace. "We are continuously speaking to local leaders so that peace prevails in the area. There was small stone-pelting which was controlled by police," he said. Kapil Mishra said that they have given a three-day ultimatum to the Delhi Police to get the road cleared.

Another incident was reported from Karawal Nagar area on Sunday night. According to Delhi Fire Services, they got the call around 9.30 pm that a restaurant and two vehicles were set ablaze by angry mobs. "We have sent three fire tenders at the spot. So far there is no information about casualties," a fire official said around 11.23 pm on Sunday.

DCP Surya said that the team went at the spot and the mob was dispersed.

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