New Delhi: Tension escalated in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar on Friday as a car and a motorcycle were set on fire, and a massive protest by Hindu political outfits blocked traffic for several hours here, following the death of a 26-year-old man in a clash during Holi celebrations, PTI reported.
According to police sources, members of the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad staged a protest under the Uttam Nagar East metro station, blocking the main road and bringing traffic to a standstill for hours as they demanded strict action against those involved in the killing.
Several protesters sat on the road and raised slogans in the busy locality. Long queues of vehicles were seen stretching on both sides of the road, as the agitation continued for hours.
Police personnel had a difficult time dispersing the protesters and restoring traffic movement in the area. A senior police officer said their primary focus was to clear the road so that normal traffic movement could resume and commuters would not face prolonged inconvenience.
"Our teams worked to remove the protesters from the road so vehicular movement could be restored. Several ambulances were also stuck in the traffic," the officer said.
Police sources said mild force was used to disperse the protesters after repeated appeals failed to convince them to vacate the road.
"Protesters were trying to disturb traffic. Our teams used very light force to disperse them from the spot so that the vehicular movement could become smooth," the officer said.
Heavy police deployment was made in the area to maintain law and order. Several SHOs from the nearby police stations were also asked to reach the protest site to help manage the situation and regulate traffic, according to officials.
Police also deployed drones to keep a close watch on the protesters and identify those involved in blocking the road and disrupting traffic. Meanwhile, amid the prevailing tension in the locality, a car and a motorcycle parked in Uttam Nagar's JJ Colony area were set on fire on Friday afternoon, officials said.
The Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said it received a call at 2.02 pm regarding a fire involving two vehicles -- a car and a motorcycle.