The Indian police announced today, Tuesday, that ten people were killed and more than 150 others were injured during clashes in the Indian capital, New Delhi, which clouded the first visit of US President Donald Trump to the country.
The clashes began early this week and then turned into bloody violence yesterday, to become the worst violence witnessed in New Delhi since the start of the protests against the citizenship law passed by Parliament more than two months ago.
New violence erupted today in several areas of northeastern New Delhi, kilometers away from Trump's meeting place with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It was confirmed that at least nine civilians and one policeman were killed," police officer Anil Mittal said, adding that more than 150 people were also injured in the clashes since Monday.
The director of the fire department in the capital, Atoll Garg, confirmed that firefighting teams received more than 12 separate reports of burning in New Delhi on Tuesday, while the city witnessed new protests.
"We asked for police protection after our cars were prevented from entering the areas with fires. (The situation is very bad," he said.
He added that the violence had not diminished since yesterday, despite the fact that the authorities imposed the emergency law, which prohibits gatherings in places where violence is taking place.
He continued that protesters set fire to a fire truck and a limited number of firefighters were wounded.
| Protests have not diminished in New Delhi in the past two days (Reuters) |
Schools and stations closed
Local television channels broadcast footage of clouds of smoke from a tire market, which was set on fire.
"The injured are still pouring in," said the medical observer at Guru Tej Bahadur Hospital. He added that there are a variety of injuries, many of them with bullets and some with sharp machines.
Clashes erupted on Monday between thousands of demonstrators who support and oppose the new law.
The police used tear gas and smoke bombs, but found it very difficult to disperse the crowds that were throwing stones.
Schools are still closed in some areas as well as some metro stations.
The capital is the center of anti-law protests that facilitate the granting of nationality to non-Muslim residents of three neighboring countries.
The law has sparked accusations by Modi and his BJP of undermining India's secular traditions, while the party denies any bias against the country's Muslim minority of 180 million people.