Five accused, including the alleged main conspirator, in the Saturday’s communal clashes in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri were on Tuesday booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), government sources said. The move comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah called for strict action against the rioters to avoid a repeat of the 2020 Delhi riots, sources added.
The five accused are the alleged mastermind Ansar Sheikh, Salim Chikna, Imam Sheikh alias Sonu, Dilshad and Aheed.
Eight policemen and a local were injured in the clash. Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Monday said 23 people belonging to two communities have been arrested so far. The investigation into the clashes has been handed over to the Crime Branch and 14 teams have been formed to take it forward. Four forensics teams also visited the spot to gather evidence.
According to the FIR lodged at the Jahangirpuri police station in connection with the clash, the Hanuman Jayanti procession was passing off peacefully through the area on Saturday, but at around 6 pm, when it reached outside a mosque in C-block, Ansar came with his aides and started arguing with the participants of the ‘Shobha Yatra’.
The argument soon turned violent and both sides started pelting each other with stones.
Imam alias Sonu was arrested by the Special Staff of the northwest district police on Monday. During interrogation, the accused disclosed that he had fired through his pistol near Kushal Chowk during the clashes. A video of Imam wearing a blue kurta opening firing during the riots went viral on social media.
Several police officers News18 spoke to said that Jahangirpuri is a “hub of criminals” for whom “acquiring weapons illegally is no big deal”. However, all officers also said the criminals have never attacked local police station cops.
A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, who served in the area as the district deputy commissioner of police (DCP), described the area as “criminal-prone”. “While running the North-West District, the priority is maintaining law and order in Jahangirpuri. The local police should have a good network and penetration in the area. In case of any street crime such as robbery, mostly, a criminal from the area is found to be either involved or aware of it,” he said.
(With agency inputs)
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