New Delhi: Delhi Police Saturday imposed curfew and ordered to shoot any miscreant on the spot in East Delhi's Trilokpuri, after communal tension erupted in the area Friday which continued for more than 24 hours and also sprea to neighboring areas.
Although the crowd has been dispersed now, the situation is said to be still tense with reports of heavy stone pelting between members of two communities.
The violence has left at least 13 people injured, including eight with bullet injuries. At least three of those injured are in critical condition.
Though prohibitory orders were imposed under Section 144 of the CrPC on Saturday night, security forces struggled to gain control, with clashes spreading to at least five blocks in the area.
Groups armed with knives and swords roamed the streets till 1 pm on Saturday. Despite heavy presence of security personnel, including forces from neighbouring districts and the Rapid Action Force and CRPF, rioters, many of them in their teens, threw stones at each other.
Sources said that clashes had also spread to neighbouring East Delhi areas of Khichripur and Kalyanpuri, though the incidents there were not as violent.
"Forces have been deployed from adjoining police stations, including North-East, North and East Delhi. The situation is under control," said a senior police officer.
Police sources said since clashes broke out at regular intervals over three days since Thursday, the police could not concentrate their efforts on restoring peace at one place.
Though nobody was able to point a particular reason that triggered clashes between people of the two communities in block 27 on Thursday on the occasion of Diwali, police said the violence had engulfed major parts of the area, known as a resettlement colony.
After late night clashes on Friday, fresh stone pelting was reported from the area on Saturday morning.
"They threw stones, bottles and anything they could lay their hands on," said a resident of block 15. Police said some people threw bottles filled with acid used as toilet cleaners, injuring some RAF personnel.
Meanwhile, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Arvinder Singh expressed serious concern over the clashes in Trilokpuri and appealed to the people to maintain peace.
The DPCC, in a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner, has asked him to immediately restore peace and order.
Chief spokesperson of the party Mukesh Sharma said that as the news of the clashes reached them, party leaders spoke to top police officials to get complete details of the clashes and appealed to the police to provide people security and protection.
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