NEW DELHI: On a day when the entire nation is observing Janata Curfew, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement, two unidentified miscreants hurled "chemical bomb" at the epicentre of anti- CAA protest-- Shaheen Bagh.
According to the witnesses, bike-borne perpetrators disguised as delivery boys threw glass bottles full of "unknown" chemical at barricades placed at a distance from the protest site and fled.
They further allege that the bikers had also fired some shots in the air but the police are yet to confirm the incident.
The organisers of the protest added that the "attackers" were carrying three bags due to which the registration number of the bike couldn't be noted.
The protest at Shaheen Bagh began on December 15 against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and has been facing criticism from certain sections especially the right-wing organisations.
It started when the Delhi Police barged inside the Jamia Millia Islamia campus injuring around 200 students and damaging property worth Rs two crores.
The demand to suspend the agitation growing in view of Coronavirus pandemic in the country. Even, people including social activists, who were supporting the movement, are now seeking suspension of the protest for some time.
According to some reports, which couldn't be verified, a group of demonstrators are in favour of taking a break and resuming the sit-in after a gap.
The protesters who refused to call off the protest even after huge criticism, in wake of Coronavirus, were also observing Janata Curfew.
“Around 10 AM , some miscreants threw some chemical bomb at the protest site from behind on the barricades. It was not petrol but some kind of chemical that led to fire. However, no one was injured,” senior volunteer at Shaheen Bagh, Syed Taseer Ahmed told this newspaper.
He said, “this was a gift for observing the Janata Curfew”.
“We did not allow women to the protest site today except for four of them inside the tent. We want to stand with the people of our country as this is for the better of our country and yet we were showered with such kind of bombs,” Taseer added.
The police confirmed the incident saying that chemical has been recovered from the area.
“The incident took place in the morning at around 9.30-10 am. The senior police are investigating the matter. Chemicals have recovered in good amount from the area, said a police official.
Police is further investigating about the persons behind the incident.