New Delhi: Twenty people, including the “main conspirators” of the violence in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, have been arrested by Delhi Police till Sunday. Two juveniles have also been apprehended in connection with the clashes, police said, adding that the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch for further investigation.
The accused were identified as Zahid (20), Anshar (35), Shahjad (33), Mukhtyaar Ali (28), Mohd. Ali (18), Amir (19), Aksar (26), Noor Alam (28), Md. Aslam (21), Zakir (22), Akram (22), Imtyaz (29), Mohd. Ali (27), Ahir (37), Sheikh Saurabh (42), Suraj (21), Neeraj (19), Suken (45), Suresh (43) and Sujeet Sarkar (38), all residents of Jahangirpuri. Two juveniles have not been named.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest) Usha Rangnani said three firearms and five swords have also been recovered from the possession of the arrested persons.
The accused were booked under sections 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon),149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 436 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.), 307 (Attempt to murder), 120B (Punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and section 27 of the Arms Act.
Situation In Jahangirpuri
An uneasy calm prevailed in Jahangirpuri on Sunday as companies of anti-riot police patrolled the streets and people largely stayed indoors. To cool tensions, the Delhi Police held a meeting with members of the Aman (peace) Committees and asked them to counter any rumours and appeal to people in their areas to maintain peace.
Eight police personnel and a local were injured in stone-pelting and arson after clashes broke out between two communities in Jahangirpuri during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday evening. Some vehicles were also torched.
Security has been beefed up in and around C and D blocks, barricades have been put up and police personnel deployed at every 200 metres, the police said.
Deependra Pathak, Special Commissioner (Law and Order-Zone 1), said efforts are being made to identify other accused through CCTV and other video footage.
“Right now, the situation is totally under control. We have our additional force deployed here. We have done peace committee meetings and are also in touch with the prominent residents of the areas. They gave assurances that they would maintain peace in their respective areas,” he said.
“Drones and facial recognition software are being used to identify those involved in creating the ruckus,” he added.
Action Against The Accused
Police produced 14 of the arrested accused before a local court on Sunday. Duty Magistrate Divya Malhotra sent Aslam and Ansar to police custody till Monday and the 12 other accused to judicial custody for 14 days.
Police alleged that Aslam and Ansar were the main conspirators who hatched a conspiracy after they learnt about the ‘Shobha Yatra’ on April 15. It said the custodial interrogation of the two is required to unearth the larger conspiracy and the involvement of others.
