Delhi riots: Seven killed and 150 hurt in clashes over citizenship law

Delhi was today rocked by its deadliest riots over a controversial new citizenship law.

At least seven people were killed and around 150 injured as thousands demonstrated for and against the new measures.

Police fired tear gas and smoke grenades as they struggled to disperse stone-throwing crowds that tore down metal barricades and set vehicles and a petrol pump alight.

“Some of the people brought in had gunshot wounds,” said Dr Rajesh Kalra, who works at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. Several schools and at least five metro stations were closed.

The violence in the north-eastern district came as President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modhi prepared to hold talks only a few miles away.

India’s capital has been a hotbed of protests against the new Citizenship Amendment Act, which eases the path of non-Muslims from three neighbouring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship. This has led to accusations that Mr Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are undermining India’s secular traditions.

The BJP denies any bias against the country’s 180 million-strong Muslim minority, but objectors have been holding protests and camping out in parts of Delhi for two months.

BJP leader Kapil Mishra had reportedly warned protesters staging a sit-in over the weekend that they would be forcibly evicted once Mr Trump had left India.

The clashes spilled over to yesterday and police fired tear gas and led baton charges. TV footage showed flames and smoke billowing from buildings. Witnesses said they saw charred vehicles in areas like Jaffrabad and Chand Bagh this morning.