The protesters were marching towards the Jantar Mantar from Jama Masjid, after hours of protest inside the Masjid led by Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, when they were stopped by the police on their way in Old Delhi near Delhi Gate. The clash between the police and protesters took a violent turn as the protesters torched a vehicle right outside the Daryaganj police station.

According to reports, the police used water cannons and lathi-charge to disperse the crowd which swelled up near the Delhi Gate.

The Jama Masjid in Old Delhi became Friday’s site for a massive protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act as Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad surfaced at the iconic monument holding a copy of the Preamble of the Constitution along with posters of BR Ambedkar as he led thousands of protesters.

Interestingly, Chandrashekhar Azad has escaped detention as he was reportedly earlier detained by the police.

The Delhi Police had denied permission for the protest march.

Earlier today morning, ahead of the protest march, reports emerged that the Bhim Army chief had been arrested. However, Azad himself denied reports of his arrest via a tweet saying that he was on his way to Jama Masjid.

Meanwhile, the police have blocked the exit route of Jama Masjid as Chandrashekhar Azad is leading the rally towards Jantar Mantar.

Entry and exit gates of Chawri Bazar, Lal Quila and Jama Masjid have been closed in view of the protest march, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation informed.

Earlier in the day, residents of Jama Masjid area offered roses to senior police officers to show their cooperation with police and convey their message of peace. This comes a day after anti-citizenship law protesters offered roses to security personnel at the Jantar Mantar.

Meanwhile, large gatherings are banned under CrPC Section 144, which is in place near the Red Fort area since Thursday, prohibiting assembly of four or more people.

Thousands of students, activists and opposition leaders hit the streets in the national capital on Thursday, defying heavy security clampdown and Section 144 even as authorities suspended mobile internet services and restricted traffic movement to quell the swirling agitation.

Opposition leaders D Raja, Sitaram Yechury, Nilotpal Basu, Brinda Karat, Ajay Maken, Sandeep Dikshit and activists Yogendra Yadav, Umar Khalid were among over 1,200 people detained from areas around Red Fort and Mandi House, the sites of the two planned demonstrations.

Besides the national capital, protesters in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and six other states also defied prohibitory orders and marched on to the streets in a bid to bring national and international attention to their fight against the controversial law.

At least three people were killed and several injured in protests across the country on Thursday against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act.