E-Paper
Jahangirpuri probe will go on beyond caste or creed: Delhi Police
The police chief said 23 people were arrested, including a man, identified as Sonu alias Yunus, who allegedly opened fire during the clashes after a video of the incident was widely shared on social media.
Delhi Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana on Monday said action will be taken on communal clashes in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri irrespective of the culprits’ caste, creed and religion, adding that police permission was not taken for the religious procession during which the violence occurred.
Union home minister Amit Shah spoke to Asthana later in the evening and called for stern action against those involved in the violence, according to people aware of the development.
The police chief said 23 people were arrested, including a man, identified as Sonu alias Yunus, who allegedly opened fire during the clashes after a video of the incident was widely shared on social media. “We are not going to spare any accused, having direct or indirect links with the incident and there will be no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed, faith and association,” Asthana told reporters.
Jahangirpuri was tense but largely peaceful on Monday.
“On Monday morning, when a police team went to search for Sonu and examine his family members, two stones were thrown at them. The situation was brought under control and legal action has been taken,” deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Usha Rangnani said.
Police also registered a case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code against the organisers for carrying out a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday evening without permission.
Clashes broke out between Hindu and Muslim groups during the religious procession on Saturday, days after similar violence in six states. The incident took place when a procession of 350-400 people to mark Hanuman Jayanti was crossing Jahangirpuri’s C block, where a scuffle first broke out and then escalated into stone pelting. Shots were also fired.
The communal clash in Jahangirpuri is the first major such incident since the 2020 Delhi riots in which 53 people died and 619 were injured.
A central government official said the home ministry will continue to assess the situation. The Delhi Police have already briefed the ministry about the investigation carried out so far, the official added.
Addressing a media briefing earlier in the day, Asthana denied claims that the clashes broke out after attempts were made to hoist saffron flags at a mosque during the Hanuman Jayanti procession. “No, there was no attempt to hoist any saffron flag,” he said.
Some politicians and social media users earlier alleged that people tried to hoist a flag on a local mosque in Jahangirpuri which led to stone pelting and violence.
Police on Monday cordoned off the Muslim-dominated C Block of Jahangirpuri to ensure no untoward incident took place. While a few shops opened on the main street in the area, many remained closed amid an uneasy calm.
“Women in the area are especially scared to go to the main road even as they come out of the houses within their street limits,” said G Block resident Savitri.
The investigation into the clashes has been handed over to the Crime Branch and 14 teams have been formed to take it forward, Asthana said, adding that four forensics teams also visited the spot to gather evidence. The probe will cover all angles through the analysis of CCTV footage and digital inputs, he said.
Rangnani, meanwhile, said that while the police granted permission for two Hanuman Jayanti processions on Saturday morning and afternoon, no such approval was given for a third procession in the evening. The clashes broke out near Jama Masjid in Jahangirpuri after the third procession.
The police commissioner said that both Hindus and Muslims were arrested in connection with the violence. “Eight of them have previous criminal records. Few more people have been identified on the basis of CCTV footage and they’ll be nabbed for custodial interrogation.”
Elaborating on the incident on Saturday, Asthana said that around 4.15pm, a procession started on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. The routes taken were traditional and around 6.15pm, those in front of the procession moved ahead.
However, those who were following them stopped after getting into a heated argument following which stones were pelted, Asthana said.
Asthana said no permission was given for the procession in the evening after which the violence was reported. He said the first two processions were carried out peacefully.
He said that four teams of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) visited the scene of the crime on Monday. “They will visit all the scenes of crime during their investigation. They will collect all digital and factual samples, besides the evidences on social media groups and video footages. Thereafter, the crime branch will investigate the case on all possible angles. The intelligence fusion and strategic operations (IFSO) unit of special cell has been assigned for comprehensive analysis of all the digital evidences,” he said.
“Drone patrolling and intensive rooftop surveillance in sensitive areas of Delhi are among the major measures taken to maintain law and order,” Asthana added.
Bharatiya Janata Party president JP Nadda accused the Opposition of waging a “direct onslaught on the spirit of our nation and casting aspersions on our hardworking citizens”, in a reaction to the rival parties’ joint statement attacking the Modi government over incidents of hate speech and communal violence.
The Congress later questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence over the recent violence in some parts of the country and asked why he has not yet denounced the incidents of hatred.
