Two more protesters held; 50 arrested in case so far

The crime branch of Mumbai police on Friday arrested two more persons for the violence that took place at Azad Maidan on August 11, taking the total to 50.

The crime branch of Mumbai police on Friday arrested two more persons for the violence that took place at Azad Maidan on August 11, taking the total to 50.

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Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said they have arrested Tabrez Mohammed Jamal Sayeed, 24, who is from Antop Hill, and Wasim Noor Mohammed Khan (23), a Govandi resident. They were arrested on the basis of video evidence, he said.

Police officials said Sayeed was one of the protesters who was at the forefront in torching the outdoor broadcasting (OB) van of a private channel outside the civic body’s headquarters. Khan was involved in hitting a police constable during the riot. Khan has a previous case of assault registered against him at the Govandi police station last year.

Officials added that during the investigation, they found that Sayeed had brought a mob of 100 people to the rally from his area. “We are investigating on this front to check if the two were involved in any more damage than what was captured on camera,” an official said requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, officials said they are examining the role of the 23 persons arrested from the spot after the riot. Officials said that family members and friends of some of them had presented video evidence claiming that they were present at some other location during the riot, and were not involved in it.