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Five men, two minors held for Seemapuri violence
New Delhi:
New Delhi:
Delhi police’s crime branch on Monday said it had arrested five more men, and apprehended two minors, who had allegedly instigated violence in northeast Delhi’s Old Seemapuri last month during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act that had left local residents and policemen injured.
Police said they suspected two of these men are Bangladeshis but said they were yet to recover any supporting documents to prove their nationality.
Last month, police had arrested 14 men after the stone pelting and rioting in Old Seemapuri.Senior officers said out of the five men arrested now, two are from UP, one is a local resident of Old Seemapuri while the antecedents of two others could not be verified. Police said initial probe suggested the two men belong to Bangladesh but said they had not recovered any documents that prove their nationality.
On December 20, stone-pelting was reported from Old Seemapuri that left many protestors and policemen, including the additional deputy commissioner of police, Shahadra, injured. On January 3, investigations were transferred to the crime branch.
Deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) Rajesh Deo said the five arrested men are Mohammad Shoaib, 19, from Ghaziabad, Yusuf Ahmad, 40, from Old Seemapuri, Delhi, Mohammad Amir, 24, from Pilibhit in UP, and two men, Mohammad Azad, 25 and Mohammad Subhan, 27, who could not provide residential proof.
Deo said, during their investigations that began last Friday, his teams scanned and analysed CCTV footage and video recordings of the incident.
“We found that the CCTV footages were blurry and the faces of the rioters were not discernible. Therefore, we used some technology to enhance the CCTV footages where suspects were seen indulging in violence and using that, the five accused were identified,” he said.
The DCP said all the five have been sent to jail after they were produced before a court.
Deo said, with their continuing probe, on Sunday, they identified two minors who had allegedly indulged in the violence. “They were apprehended and were later handed over to their respective family members. They will be produced before juvenile justice board,” the officer said.
Deo said they were verifying the past criminal records of all seven people.
The same day, on December 20, violence and arson was also reported from Daryaganj that left at least 46 injured. On December 21, police had arrested 15 people for the violence, including the Bhim Army chief. At least 10 minors who were also detained for the violence were later released the same day.
