Delhi Police resorted to lathicharge and used water cannon to disperse protesters near Delhi Gate as violence marked a march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Friday with stones being hurled on security personnel.
Police, however, denied baton charging the protesters and using tear gas, saying it used "mild force" and water cannon.
During the protest, a car parked outside the Daryaganj police station, which houses the office of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central District), was set ablaze by people, who, police suspect, were "outsiders".
"Outsiders were involved in the violence that broke out after the protest. Outsiders were provoking them. We have detained many and their role will be probed.
"Several police personnel have been injured in the violence. Our Joint CP has also been injured by stone pelting. The crowd had come from outside," police Public Relations Officers (PRO) Mandeep Singh Randhawa told reporters.
The violence and arson during the protest against the amended citizenship law, is the first incident of arson in what had been a largely peaceful day of demonstration in the national capital.
"We used mild force and water cannon but did not use tear gas and lathicharge," Randhawa told reporters.
The protesters wanted to march to Jantar Mantar from Jama Masjid but were stopped near Delhi Gate. In the evening, many of the protesters tried climbing barricades and the police tried to push them back.
Randhawa also said the protests were largely peaceful and insisted that "outsiders" were inciting the people, many of whom had already dispersed before the violence broke out.
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