Delhi death toll climbs to 42

At least 42 people have lost their lives and more than 250 were injured as armed mobs rampaged through parts of northeast Delhi from Sunday till Tuesday, looting and burning buildings and attacking residents.

The national capital witnessed unprecedented violence as two groups — supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) — clashed in the Northeast district.

Over 500 vehicles and nearly 80 houses were gutted in fires, according to official data.

The Delhi Police has registered 123 FIRs and arrested 630 people so far in connection with the clashes in northeast Delhi, The Statesman reports quoting news agency PTI.

Addressing the media, Delhi Police PRO MS Randhawa said, "A total of 123 FIRs have been registered and around 630 people detained. Senior police officer's deployment will remain the same as today. Things are getting normal, distress calls have drastically gone down."

As the clashes went out of control, the police had also issued shoot-at-sight orders in parts of the northeast district on Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal today visited affected areas in northeast Delhi to review the situation on the ground.

During the visit, Baijal interacted with some locals in Maujpur. "I have come here to see myself how things are on the ground," he told reporters.

Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP leader Gopal Rai, visited the affected Shiv Vihar in Northeast Delhi on Wednesday evening.

The Delhi High Court today sought response of Delhi Police and directed police to ensure that Board exam centres are given proper security in the violence-affected Northeast Delhi. The court also directed that exam centres must be sanitised and police should ensure there is no breach of security.

At present the exams are scheduled from March 2 onwards and will be held as scheduled, subject to the situation on the ground, the court said.

The violence started on Saturday last week after BJP leader Kapil Mishra carried out a rally in Jaffrabad and issued a three-day ultimatum to the anti-CAA protesters in the area to clear.

"Three days' ultimatum for Delhi Police -- clear the roads in Jaffrabad and Chand Bagh. After this, we won't listen to you," he declared. In a video of the speech, he can be seen making these incendiary comments even as a Delhi Police officer stands next to him.

Delhi High Court reprimanded the state police for its inaction against BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Parvesh Verma, all of whom have given speeches against anti-CAA protesters.