One killed and 3 injured after riot in east Delhi

One person was killed and three received gunshot wounds in a riot that broke out in east Delhi after a rumour spread that a man died during a routine vehicle checking at a police picket near the Delhi-Noida border on Sunday evening.

One person was killed and three received gunshot wounds in a riot that broke out in east Delhi after a rumour spread that a man died during a routine vehicle checking at a police picket near the Delhi-Noida border on Sunday evening.

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A mob clashed with the police and damaged three police posts. It also set ablaze a CNG filling station and six vehicles, including a DTC bus.

Deputy Commissioner (east) confirmed the death and injuries. The police, however, denied opening fire at the crowd. It was not clear whether the person who died was shot. A couple of policemen were also injured.

"The incident was reported around 6:30 pm. The man, who seemed inebriated and was riding without a helmet, was directed to stop his scooter but he tried to speed away at the Khoda Chowk, near the New Ashok Nagar Police Station," claimed a senior police officer.

"A policeman manning the picket waved his baton at him in a bid to try and stop him — but the scooterist, in a bid to try and swerve away from the baton, rammed a barricade before hitting a road divider and losing consciousness," the officer added.

The man, a resident of Kondli, was rushed to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. In the meantime, police claimed, a crowd of between 300 and 400 people from the adjacent areas of Dallupura Village, Khoda and New Ashok Nagar descended on the scene. Rioters claimed that the man was deliberately pushed off his vehicle by the police.

"More than 12 companies of police and two of the CISF were despatched to the scene. We had to cordon off a three-kilometre stretch of the Kondli Road to keep the situation under control," an officer said.

It was only around 10:30 that the situation could finally be brought under control. However, three police posts — a chowki near the St. Mary School, the Khoda Chowki and a CRPF post — had been demolished by the incensed crowd till that time. Six vehicles, including three police motorcycles and a DTC bus, were also torched.

A case has been registered at the Ashok Nagar Police Station.