Protests over the citizenship law turned violent in the evening when crowds attempted to tear down barricades at Delhi Gate and flung stones at police.

The police trained water cannons at the angry crowds and launched baton charges in order to disperse them.

At least 20 protesters were reportedly injured by the police. They were taken to the nearby Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital.

The demonstration, which was in response to a call by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, had begun in the afternoon. The crowds had started to swell as more people poured in from areas in the national capital as well as Uttar Pradesh.

The crowds had chanted slogans decrying the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). They had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was an “autocrat”.

The situation, however, worsened when a group of protesters began marching towards Delhi Gate by means of Netaji Subhash Marg, a 1-km stretch, following evening prayers. They attempted to breach the barricades.

The police and local leader issued warnings to the protesters and asked them to turn back. But hell broke loose.

Some residents of Old Delhi told The Telegraph that people from areas such as Jaffarabad and Seelampur had joined the march in an attempt to tarnish the “image” of the locality. Those injured, however, said they were from east of the city, including areas like Loni and Ghaziabad.

“There was no one in the crowd from Old Delhi. All our people had returned home or gathered at the other end of the street. Khaki chaddis and people from other localities had sneaked into the crowds to defame us,” said a local resident to this website.

Delhi Gate, Jama Masjid, and Lal Quila (Red Fort) Metro stations were shut till the evening. The restrictions were lifted and stations opened after the crowds thinned.

Since Sunday, the city has witnessed arson, stone pelting and clashes between the police and the protesters.

Earlier this week, the police was criticised for the violence involving Jamia Millia Islamia students.

A motorcycle was burned during protests in the locality of Seelampur against the citizenship law.