A slingshot believed to have been used to hurl brickbats is seen tied to a railing in the backdrop of charred remains of vehicles set ablaze by rioters during communal violence over the amended citizenship law, in Shiv Vihar area of northeast Delhi.
Normalcy is slowly returning to the riot-hit Northeast Delhi after protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) turned violent killing at least 42 people so far while scores have been injured. The situation showed some signs of returning to normalcy and clouds of smoke cleared to reveal the extent of the damage from the worst riots in the city in over three decades.
A total of 148 FIRs have been registered and 630 people have been either arrested or detained so far in connection with the communal violence, a Delhi Police spokesperson said.
Northeast Delhi Violence | Live updates
03:00 pm: A team of Border Security Force (BSF) today visited the house BSF constable Mohammad Anees, whose house in Khajuri Khas area was set on fire during Delhi violence. DIG (Headquarters) Pushpendra Rathore says, "He is currently posted in Odisha & soon will be transferred to Delhi".
"BSF engineers have come with us. They will repair the house of constable Mohammad Anees. BSF will provide financial assistance to the family from its welfare fund," Pushpendra Rathore, BSF Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) said.
02:00 pm: A team of officials reaches Shiv Vihar area in Northeast Delhi, which had witnessed violence, for property assessment. Pradeep Tayal, Sub Divisional Magistrate says, "We are also distributing forms to affected people so that instant relief of Rs 25,000 can be given".
12:59 pm: As crackdown on rioters underway after Delhi violence, a total of 630 people have been arrested so far. Out of the 630, 23 have been arrested under riot cases, 36 under the arms act. Meanwhile, 39 fire arms recovered have been recovered including (3 pistola and 36 country-made pistol and 46 cartridges. The remaining people have been detained under preventive action. A total of 9 police stations affected out of 13 Police stations. Also, a total of 87 gunshot injuries have been reported who have injured in the violence.
12:45 pm: Former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan has been detained for allegedly trying to incite people by giving out provocative speeches. She has been sent to 14-day judicial custody. Ishrat was protesting against the CAA for the past 50 days in Khureji area of Delhi.
12:30 pm: Incidents of violence have not been reported since evening of February 25. We have given relaxation in Section 144 from 10 am to 2 pm today, as the situation is under control. We will monitor further, says Alok Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police.
10:01 am: As the probe is underway to nab rioters, JNU administration has warned students' body against providing shelter to Delhi violence victims on campus. On Friday, JNU warned the university's students' union against providing shelter to the victims of the northeast Delhi violence on the campus.
09:53 am: Two SITs have been set up to investigate Delhi violence which has so far claimed lives of 42 people while scores have been injured.
09:15 am: Security forces continue to be deployed and section 144 is in place in Shiv Vihar area. No incident of violence has been reported in the last three days.
Earlier on Friday, a 5-member team of the Congress party visited riot-hit areas in Delhi to take stock of the situation as authorities analyse the extent of the damage.
Home Minister Amit Shah, who was in Bhubaneswar on Friday, addressed a public rally where he once again reiterated that CAA was not meant to take anybody's citizenship as people were being misled by the opposition.
Meanwhile, the brother of 26-year-old Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma, whose body was pulled out of a drain in northeast Delhi's riot-hit Chand Bagh, has sought police protection for his family after accusing former AAP counsellor Tahir Hussain and his associates of being behind the killing.
"Hussain and his associates killed my brother. They are very powerful people and I want protection for my family for them. I asked for security and they (police) sent it, but right now we are in our village in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah," Ankit Sharma's elder brother Ankur said.
Delhi L-G Anil Baijal also visited riot-hit areas in Northeast Delhi on Friday to take stock of situation.
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