Citizenship Amendment Act: Delhi buses burnt, as mob ran amok targetting citizens

New Delhi: Residents and commuters in the heart of the national capital ran for their lives as a raging mob of almost 1,000 people protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act on Sunday.

At least five buses were set ablaze or damaged, besides various cars and a bike that was targeted by the mob. Two fire officials were injured in stone-pelting as protests against the newly enacted Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019, that seized parts of south Delhi for almost an hour as arsonists vandalized and stone-pelting mob ran amok threatening residents.

Sushil Kumar who has a pan shop on C.V. Raman Marg told IANS that at least a thousand protesters had pelted stone on the DTC bus that stands outside his shop completely vandalized.

This on the third day of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 that will provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Jamia students were not involved in the brawl, the varsity union promptly announced.

The pan shop owner said no one was allowed to deboard the bus as civilians were targeted specifically. “It was due to some ‘samajhdar’ (wise) people in the group that protestors stopped pelting stones. Some people told them ‘hum sab bhai hai. Kisi ko maar ke bill wapas nehi hoga (We are all brothers, no use killing people over a bill),”

Kumar claims his shop was saved as he immediately dropped down the shutters and stood with the protestors.

Shakti Singh, a resident of New Friend’s colony (East) told IANS people were “so terrified by the protesters that many left their cars on the way and ran for their life”.

Locals of the Sarai Julema in the Jamia Nagar clashed with police after the trouble began over the organizing of a protest against the Citizenship Act around the afternoon. Billowing smoke were seen coming out of the red DTDC buses put on fire. Black clouds of smoke could be seen from Ashram Chowk, 4.3 kilometers away.

The situation turned critical when a bus was burned by the protestors and police got into action. A photographer was injured in the stone-pelting that took place during the confrontation between protestors and police. (IANS)

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