Bhim Army chief slips from detention during Jama Masjid’s protest in Delhi

PTI, Dec 20, 2019, 5:10 PM IST

New Delhi: Amid police presence in Delhi’s Jama Masjid, police tried to detain Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad who was leading a massive protest against the amended citizenship law on Friday.

Prohibitory orders were imposed in 12 police station areas of Northeast Delhi, officials said, adding police used drones to keep a tab on the law and order situation in the district.

Delhi Mahila Congress chief and former president Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee and some other members of the outfit were detained near Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence during a protest against the new legislation.

In view of the planned protest, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation shut Chawri Bazar, Lal Quila and Jama Masjid stations. Delhi Police said that it has denied permission to Bhim Army to take out a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar. The march is expected to see participation of students from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

Joint Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ved Prakash Surya were among senior officers who were present during the flag march in Northeast Delhi. “We are conducting a flag march in the area to maintain law and order and peace,” DCP Surya said. A person identified as Rashid was arrested on Thursday in connection with the violence and vandalism in Seelampur area of the Northeast Delhi which witnessed violent protests by thousands of demonstrators on Tuesday.

Prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 are in place near the Red Fort area since Thursday. On Thursday, thousands of students, activists and opposition leaders hit the streets in the national capital, defying heavy security clampdown and prohibitory orders even as authorities suspended mobile internet services and restricted traffic movement to quell the swirling agitation.

Opposition leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat, Ajay Maken, Sandeep Dikshit and activists Yogendra Yadav, Umar Khalid were among over 1,200 people detained from areas around Red Fort and Mandi House — the sites of the two planned demonstrations.