Death toll from riots in Indian capital rises to 20

Sajjad HUSSAIN / AFP

Violent protests in New Delhi over a new citizenship law has left at least 20 people dead and over 200 injured, casting a shadow over US President's official visit.

According to media reports, six more people succumbed to their injuries following two days of clashes.

"There are 15 patients in critical condition," the hospital official from the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital told Reuters.

Authorities have announced the closure of all private and government schools and board exams postponed in the Indian capital as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, chief of Congress party Sonia Gandhi has criticised the Modi government of doing very little to defuse the situation. 

Even the Delhi Police has come under the scanner for apparent inaction and for deploying inadequate forces when the violence unfolded.

Trump had earlier told reporters that he had heard about the violence but did not discuss it with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Indian leader later took to Twitter to "appeal" for "peace and brotherhood". 

More from International News

  • Israeli attacks on Gaza killed 60 people in 24 hours

    Israeli occupation forces committed multiple massacres against families in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, resulting in the killing of at least 60 Palestinians and the injury of 162 others, according to medical reports.

  • Trump fires National Security Agency director

    U.S. President Donald Trump fired General Timothy Haugh as director of the National Security Agency on Thursday, according to two officials familiar with the decision, and congressional Democrats denounced the removal of the nonpartisan official from a top security post.

  • Israel steps up Syria strikes, says Turkey aims for 'protectorate'

    Israel stepped up airstrikes on Syria, declaring the attacks a warning to the new rulers in Damascus as it accused their ally Turkey of trying to turn the country into a Turkish protectorate.

  • US sending Israel 20,000 assault rifles that Biden delayed

    The Trump administration moved forward with the sale of more than 20,000 US-made assault rifles to Israel last month, according to a document seen by Reuters, pushing ahead with a sale that the administration of former president Joe Biden had delayed.

Blogs