A fire department official told Reuters that his teams were responding to more than a dozen separate calls relating to arson incidents yesterday, as fresh protests flared around Delhi.

"We have sought police protection as our vehicles are being blocked from entering the affected areas. The situation is very grim," said Delhi Fire Department Director Atul Garg.

He said the violence had not diminished since Monday despite authorities imposing an emergency measure prohibiting any gatherings in the violence-hit areas.

One fire department vehicle was torched by protesters on Monday and a small number of firemen were injured, Garg added.

"We have about 3,500 police and paramilitary deployed," said Alok Kumar, the joint commissioner of police. "The situation is definitely tense, but we are on top of the situation."

Police fired tear gas and pellets to scatter demonstrators protesting against the citizenship law in the Jafrabad neighbourhood of northeast Delhi yesterday. A young man suffered a pellet wound to his thigh, while another sustained injuries to his eyes, leaving his face bloodied.

In New Jafrabad, local residents patrolled the street with sti