Protest effect: 25% jump in rioting cases over last year

The Delhi Police are now filing cases of riots almost every week in the wake of an increasing number of anti-graft protests. Faizan Haider reports.

The Delhi Police are now filing cases of riots almost every week in the wake of an increasing number of anti-graft protests. Since a number of protests have turned violent, the number of riot cases registered this year has seen a jump of 25% over last year.

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Till October 24 this year, 59 cases of riots were registered in comparison to 46 last year in the same period.

Apart from anti-graft protests, the 'Akbarabadi Mosque' protests and the clashes in Khoda village near Mayur Vihar Phase III too played their part. "This year has seen more violent protests in comparison to last year. We were forced to register cases of rioting as protesters vandalised public property," said a senior police officer.

Police said the rise had begun in 2011 itself when the city saw two big protests - Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement and Ramdev's campaign against black money.

However, this year, the story was different. Many police officers say the protest at the 'Akbarabadi mosque' site was the most sensitive of all and continues to keep them busy to date.

"Our forces are still deployed there. Arvind Kejriwal's (activist-turned politician) protest was just for a day," said the police officer. "After forming a political party, Kejriwal has been holding protests almost every week. Whenever his party members indulge in violence, we book them for riots."

In 2011, the Capital saw a high jump (almost double) in the number of processions and demonstrations. In 2010, the Delhi Police had to make arrangements for 3,093 demonstrations, rallies or protests, which rose to 7,864 in 2011.