Before Trump's Delhi visit, clashes over citizenship law intensify
Violent clashes on the streets of New Delhi, Monday, left a policeman dead and dozens of people injured, according to officials… as thousands demonstrated for and against a new citizenship law.
A wide boulevard turned into a battle zone - for hours - with both supporters and opponents of the law hurling rocks.
The violence - about 11 miles from where U.S. President Donald Trump was set to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks on Tuesday.
Reuters captured images of a group of men armed with bats and sticks surrounding and beating a Muslim man.
Blood covered his face and splattered on his clothes.
Reuters reporters saw multiple vehicles set on fire, metal barricades torn down and thick smoke billowing as supporters of the new law clashed with opponents.
A small contingent of police was vastly outnumbered.
The law eases the path of non-Muslims from three neighboring Muslim-dominated countries to gain Indian citizenship. It’s led to accusations that Modi and his Hindu nationalist party are undermining India’s secular traditions.
Modi’s party denies any bias against India’s more than 180 million-strong Muslim majority…. but even so, opponents of the law have been holding protests and camping out in parts of New Delhi for two months.
But Monday’s clashes were among the worst seen in New Delhi since the protests began.
Police - who have struggled to disperse the huge crowds - imposed an emergency law prohibiting any gatherings in the violence-hit areas.
