Seelampur barrier breached, police plan to limit protests fails

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Despite barricades, police presence and 10 drones in the area, at least 2,000 protesters managed to breach the barricades and reached Delhi Gate in the evening, where a private vehicle was set ablaze. Police resorted to lathi charge and used water cannons. At least 45 people have been admitted to Lok Nayak hospital.

Kumar said, “At all vantage points, police was alert as crowds were massive. From Yamuna Khadar side, some people managed to climb on to Signature Bridge and then GT Road.” A senior police officer said “efforts were made to stop them but the numbers swelled and it was a tough task”.

In Shahdara’s Seemapuri, protesters allegedly pelted stones at police and Additional DCP (Shahdara) Rajbir Singh suffered injuries on his forehead. “Protests in the district were largely peaceful, apart from one incident of stone pelting which lasted a few minutes,” said Kumar. Police also took out a flag march with maulvis and Aman Committee members of the area in the afternoon.

The Seelampur protest started in the afternoon after Friday prayers, despite prohibitory orders, and dispersed early evening. At 5.30 pm, however, a group from Loni gathered at the same spot. Kumar said, “Local leaders circulated WhatsApp videos to people to not indulge in violence and announcements were also made on police microphones.”