Seven people, including police officer, die in protests over citizenship act
Officers used tear gas and and smoke grenades against demonstrators who set fire to vehicles and a petrol pump and threw stones.
Tuesday 25 February 2020 12:33, UK
At least seven people have died after clashes between supporters and opponents of a new citizenship law in India, police have said.
Delhi police officer Anil Mittal said: "Seven persons including one head constable of Delhi police have died," adding that around 150 people were injured in Monday's violence.
Officers used tear gas and and smoke grenades but struggled to disperse demonstrators who set fire to vehicles and a petrol pump, threw stones and pushed barricades over.
There was no word on the cause of death of those who were killed, but a hospital official said weapons were fired.
Dr Rajesh Kalra, a medical superintendent at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, said: "Some of the people brought in had gunshot wounds."
A small number of firefighters were injured and a fire department vehicle torched, an official said, while firefighters were called to reports of at least eight separate cases of arson as further protests erupted on Tuesday.
In other areas, schools and a handful of metro stations were closed.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called for peace.
"Whatever problems people have can be resolved peacefully. Violence will not help find a solution," he said.
The new Citizenship Amendment Act makes it easier for non-Muslims from three neighbouring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship.
Those opposed to the measure accuse prime minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of destroying India's secular traditions.
Delhi has been a centre of protests against the act and opponents have been camping out in parts of the city for two months.
The clashes erupted even as he and Donald Trump were busy praising each other at a rally in Mr Modi's home state of Gujarat.
"India is a country that proudly embraces freedom, liberty, individual rights, the rule of law, and the dignity of every human being," the US president said while addressing a rally of more than 100,000 people.
"Your unity is an inspiration to the world," he added.
On Tuesday Mr Trump, by now in the capital city, laid a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial and inspected troops at the presidential palace before holding talks on trade.