Delhi Police Appeal to Anti-CAA Protesters at Shaheen Bagh to Clear Road 'in Larger Public Interest'

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Friday appealed to agitators to unblock the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch to avoid inconvenience to residents of Delhi and the National Capital region (NCR) and "in larger public interest".

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Friday passed an order allowing Delhi Commissioner of Police Amulya Patnaik to exercise the powers of detaining authority under the stringent National Security Act for three months, from January 19 to April 18.

The NSA allows preventive detention of an individual for months if the authorities feel he/she is a threat to national security and law and order, said sources.

The notification, issued on January 10, comes at a time when the national capital has been witnessing a number of protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Protesters opposing the CAA and a proposed pan-India NRC have been on protest at Shaheen Bagh for over a month. The road is a key link between Noida and Delhi and has been closed by the Noida Traffic Police in view of the ongoing protests.

While hearing a petition filed by the Federation of Sarita Vihar Residents Welfare Association on Friday, a single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Police to look into the issue relating to the blockage of the road.

"We appeal to agitators at Road No 13-A, Shaheen Bagh to understand the sufferings, the complete highway blockade is causing to the residents of Delhi and NCR, senior citizens, emergency patients and school going children," a police statement said.

The plea in the high court said that there are many students who are due to take their board exams and the blockage of the stretch will cause them inconvenience.

The petition stated that the Board exams for Classes 10 and 12 are approaching in February and March and pre-board exams are to take place shortly and the closure of the roads would cause inconvenience to students.

"The closure of Road No: 13 A and massive traffic jams on Mathura Road will prevent the students from reaching their schools on time which will jeopardise their careers," the plea said.

Earlier on Friday, students of Jamia Millia Islamia and residents of Jamia Nagar and Shaheen Bagh said they will send letters to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking the CAA's repeal, claiming it is against the Constitution.

A draft of the letter, framed by the students, is being circulated among residents of Shaheen Bagh, Batla House, Noor Nagar, Okhla and neighbouring areas.

(With inputs from agencies)