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There had been forebodings of unrest threatening to spill over since December last year and a bandh called by traders against the ongoing sealing and demolition drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), under orders from the courts, turned violent in many parts of the capital..

Expecting trouble, the MCD teams were accompanied by police escorts. But the gathered crowds turned violent. The worst-hit region was Seelampur in North-East Delhi, a resettlement colony. It was a virtual battle zone — irate protestors clashing with police and indulging in heavy stone-pelting throughout the day, while security men resorted to firing, bursting teargas shells and baton charging to disperse them.

About 50 policemen, including the area Deputy Commissioner of Police Devesh Shrivastava, were injured when the crowds gathered there pelted them with stones. Eye-witnesses claim that those pelting stones were not traders, but others, possibly instigated. The police fired back to control the crowd. In the end, it left at least three dead, among them a seven-year-old boy and a 15-year old returning from school, and a man in his early 40s, who has not been identified yet.

Police said the man was killed in firing by them, but it could not be confirmed whether the seven year old boy, identified as Ashraf, and the teenager were victims of police firing or bandh violence. The bodies of the three have been kept at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital. "They were brought dead," hospital sources said.

Rapid Action Force (RAF) was deployed in several areas to bring the situation under control and prohibitory orders were clamped in Seelampur and adjoining regions, where an uneasy calm prevailed. A school bus carrying hearing impaired children was left stranded opposite Seelampur police station with the children inside for six hours.

It is significant, however, that the violence was primarily in the congested resettlement colonies largely inhabited by the poor. Even the affected traders in these colonies belong to the much poorer sections, unlike their counterparts in Central and South Delhi who are far more influential and powerful. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-East) Rajeev Ranjan blamed "anti-social elements" for the flare-up. "The violence is not related to the bandh. The bandh was peaceful. The traders were winding up their protest by 11:30 am. I don't know how the violent incidents happened. It seems some anti-social elements have taken advantage and created the flare-up," he said. He also claimed that the mob was armed with country made pistols, bricks and rods.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit echoed the same line, and said she was deeply concerned and felt the pain of the people. "The bandh was peaceful. Some mischievous elements took advantage to create chaos leading to the killings. I was upset hearing the news of the killings of poor children. We have been trying to minimise the effect of the drive. But the court have a particular view. Everyone know that we are carrying out the orders on a particular situation," she said.

But she called the violence "completely politically motivated." She said the sealing issue was being politicised and that "only an enquiry will bring out what led to the violence and subsequent firing." She also said that "dozens and dozens of MCD officials who have been found guilty of alloting land that should not have been given out in the first place have been suspended."

Incidents of brick-batting were also reported from Bhajanpura, Yusuf Sarai, Hauz Khaz, Khajoori Khaas, New Ashok Nagar, Shakkarpur, Madhuban Chowk, Mayur Vihar, Lakshmi Nagar, Ashram, Mayapuri, Dabri and Dwarka. Scores of people were injured in lathi charge and violence in these areas also. The protestors targetted police vehicles, DTC buses, Metro trains and other public property.

Metro services were also affected in North-East Delhi after irate protestors hurled stones at a train in Shahdara. As a precautionary measure, Metro services were short-terminated at Shashtri Park station, avoiding the areas of Seelampur, Welcome and Shahdara, a DMRC official said.

Meanwhile, the bandh call given by the Confederation of All-India Traders evoked a near-total response with most of the wholesale and retail markets in the capital remaining shut throughout the day. However, posh markets like Connaught Place and Khan Market were open with most of the shopkeepers not joining the bandh. "Though we have sympathies with them (protesting traders), we don't want to be part of anything which is illegal," said Sanjiv Mehra, president of Khan Market Traders' Association.

Traffic was also blocked in several areas liked Vikas Marg near Preet Vihar, Rohini, Jail Road, Madhuban Chowk, Palam-Dabri road, Ashram, Chirag Delhi and South Extension.

DCP Devesh Shrivastava, who suffered injuries on his face in stone-pelting, said around 50 protestors have been detained in connection with the incident and a case of rioting has been registered at Seelampur police station.

The Local BJP had also given a separate bandh call and party activists took out demonstrations a several places in support of the trading community. BJP president Harsh Vardhan was detained along with party activists while they were protesting the sealing drive in Lakshmi Nagar area of East Delhi. He accused the police of resorting to high-handed methods against protesting party-men.

"We were protesting peacefully, raising slogans against the government. There was no need for police to use teargas against us or to resort to lathicharge," he said.

(With agency inputs)