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Twenty-one people including the “main conspirators” have been arrested over communal violence in Jahangirpuri, the Delhi Police said on Sunday, as security forces patrolled the streets amid an uneasy calm a day after gunshots were fired.
Two juveniles have also been apprehended, the police said, adding that the case has been transferred to the crime branch for further investigation. The streets of Jahangirpuri in northwest Delhi, which witnessed a clash outside a mosque on Saturday, wore a deserted look on Sunday, with some local residents patrolling the lanes and requesting people to maintain peace and harmony.
Seven first information reports (FIRs) have been lodged at the Jahangirpuri police station.
The investigation is being conducted without bias and prejudice, said Dependra Pathak, special commissioner of police, law and order, zone 1. “We’ve enough CCTV camera footages, besides statements of local residents,” Pathak said. “We’ll not touch innocent people, but not spare guilty persons who ignited communal passion.”
A clash between two groups of Hindus and Muslims broke out on Saturday when a procession to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti was confronted by another group of people in front of a mosque. There was stone pelting by the mob and gunshots were fired.
“One of the accused, identified as 21-year-old Mohammad Aslam, alias Khodu, alias Aslam Ali, a resident of CD Park jhuggi (slum) in Jahangirpuri, has admitted to opening fire on the procession, and has been arrested,” Pathak said. “The countrymade pistol used in the commission of crime has been recovered from his possession.”
Aslam has a prior record of engaging in criminal activities, Pathak said. During the investigation, another person, 35-year-old Mohammad Ansar, a resident of B Block in Jahangirpuri, who has been previously involved in assault, has also been arrested, he said.
“Three firearms and five swords have been recovered from the possession of the accused persons. All of them are local residents,” Pathak said.
Eight police personnel and one civilian sustained injuries in the incident and are being treated at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital, the police said.
A meeting was organised by Usha Rangnani, deputy commissioner of police, northwest, at Kushal Chowk with members of aman (peace) committees of areas under Jahangirpuri, Mahendra Park and Adarsh Nagar police stations on Sunday morning.
“During the meeting, all the members were asked to appeal to the public in their areas to maintain peace, harmony and tranquility. They were also requested to counter any rumour or misinformation, be vigilant towards the activities of any mischievous and antisocial elements, to keep in touch with police and to ensure immediate reporting of anything suspicious that comes into their notice,” Rangnani said. “Further, they were assured of professional and fair investigation and due legal action on the part of police.”
Meanwhile, the streets outside the mosque in Jahangirpuri on Sunday wore a deserted look, as shops were shuttered. Blocks B and C, which witnessed the communal clash on Saturday, host a working population including fishmongers and mobile and clothes shops
Local residents say people from outside the neighbourhood caused the communal trouble.
Suresh Kumar, 45, runs a mobile shop in the area. “It was a mob of unknowns from both sides. Neither the Hindus nor Muslims, who were holding swords and pistols, were from our locality,” Kumar said. “Both sides were fighting like a war and most of local residents were mute spectators. I demand fair investigation by the police so that both the communities of this area can understand that outsiders can harm fraternity and disturb tranquility.”
Septuagenarian Mohammad Suleimaan, who lives in lane no. 3 near the mosque, said the procession had unknown faces. “We know each Hindu of our area, but they were outsiders,” Suleimaan said. “First, they tried to intrude inside the mosque and then started hoisting their communal flags outside the mosque’s gate. I can vouch that they were not from our mohalla.”
As soon as the altercation broke out between the two groups, police tried to defuse the situation, said sub-inspector Medalal Meena, who sustained bullet injuries on his arm.
“Suddenly, the crowd multiplied from both sides and within minutes it turned into a brawl. More people came with rods and swords. They started pelting stones,” Meena said. “They also started firing bullets and one of the bullets hit me.”
As per FIR number 440/22, lodged on the basis of information given by police inspector Rajeev Ranjan Singh, 21 people have been arrested under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (armed with illegal weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing the public servants in the discharge of his 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 (causing hurt), 427 (committing mischief and thereby causing loss or damage to the amount of ₹50 and above), 436 (committing mischief by fire or any explosive substance), 307 (attempt to murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the India Penal Code, and two minors have been detained.
The arrested include Mohammad Zahid (20), Mohammad Shahzad (33), Mohammad Mukhtiar (28), Mohammad Ali-1 (18), Mohammad Amir (19), Mohammad Aksar (26), Noor Alam (28), Zakir Hussain (22), Mohammad Akram (22), Mohammad Imtiyaz (29), Mohammad Ali-2 (27), Mohammad Ahir (35), Sheikh Saurabh (42), Suraj (21), Neeraj (19), Suken (45), Suresh (43), Sujeet Sarkar (38), Salim (36), Aslam (21), Ansar (35) and two juveniles, Pathak said.
While sub-inspector Meena sustained a gunshot wound on his arm, inspector Ranjan, assistant sub-inspectors Brij Bhushan and Arun Kumar, head constables Preetam Singh and Dinesh Kumar, and constables Dipak Kumar and Suman Kumar received minor injuries. The only civilian injured in the incident was Uma Shankar, Pathak said.
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