Delhi police was waiting for orders during violence: Kejriwal

Even as fresh incidents of violence held northeast Delhi to ransom for the third consecutive day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal while urging people to maintain peace, stressed the need to seal the city’s borders to check infiltration of protesters from bordering states.

Widespread clashes including stone-pelting, firing and arson in northeast Delhi on Monday (February 24) left seven people including a cop dead.

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While addressing the media after a meeting with MLAs of affected areas and concerned department officials on Tuesday, Kejriwal said he has received reports that the police could not act due insufficient strength and lack of sufficient orders.

“There have been complaints that number of policemen are not enough and police is not able to take action without orders from above. I will discuss it with the Home minister,” he told reporters.

Kejriwal who has asked the chief secretary to consult the police commissioner to take necessary steps to increase the strength of police, is expected to raise it with Union Home Minister Amit Shah during their meeting.

He said in view of complaints from MLAs about several protesters coming from bordering states, there is a need to seal borders of Delhi and take suspected people in preventive custody.

Referring to the death of a head constable and six other civilians in the clash, Kejriwal said violence was not a solution and issues can be dealt through dialogue.

“All who were killed were our people, the people of Delhi and the country. It is them today, if the violence spirals further, it may be someone else tomorrow,” he said.

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The chief minister has also asked hospital authorities to treat the injured and fire department people to coordinate with police to reach affected areas.

“I have directed district magistrates to take out peace marches with local police and request locals to maintain peace. They also need to hold peace committee meetings with people from different religions and MLA,” he said.