‘No innocent…', says national minorities panel after visiting Delhi clashes site

The National Commission for Minorities advised the administration to quickly nab all the culprits behind the violence in Jahangirpuri area and take necessary steps so that this kind of incident do not happen in the future.

A National Commission for Minorities delegation led by chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura has visited the Jahangirpuri area where violence took place during a Hanuman Jayanti procession, and it called upon the administration to quickly nab the culprits while ensuring that no innocent person is booked in the matter.

Paramilitary personnel patrol a site after clashes broke out between two communities during the procession on Hanuman Jayanti, at Jahangirpuri, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)

Clashes broke out between two communities during the procession at Jahangirpuri on Saturday, leaving eight police personnel and a local resident injured.

According to police, there was stone-pelting and arson during the clashes and some vehicles were also torched.

National Commission for Minorities (NCM) chairperson Lalpura, along with NCM members Rinchen Lhamo and DJ Gunde, visited Jahangirpuri where the clashes took place on April 16.

The team took stock of the situation from the North West Delhi deputy commissioner of police and was informed that the procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti which didn't have permission was being organised by VHP-Bajrang Dal, an NCM statement said.

There was a minor scuffle between two groups which later turned violent and police immediately rushed to the spot and controlled the situation, the statement said.

The commission appreciated the role of the district administration in containing the rising tension between the two communities, it said.

The NCM noted that eight of the nine persons injured during the incident were police personnel.

The commission "advised the administration to quickly nab all the culprits and take necessary steps so that this kind of incident do not happen in the future", the statement said.

No innocent person should be booked in this process, the NCM asserted.

The commission also had a joint meeting with representatives of both communities and they were advised to conduct 'Aman (peace) committee meetings' regularly.