After communal clashes broke out in Northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri area on Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday, 16 April, the Delhi Police, in an FIR, has stated that the violence started after an argument ensued between 'two groups' when the procession reached outside a mosque in C-Block.
As per a report by The Indian Express, the shobha yatra had police permission and around 50 police officials were deployed in Jahangirpuri.
The FIR, accessed by The Quint, was filed on the basis of a complaint by Delhi Police Inspector Rajiv Ranjan on Saturday, 16 April, at the Jahangirpuri police station.
"The shobha yatra to mark Hanuman Jayanti was proceeding peacefully till it reached the Jama Masjid in C-Block where a man named Ansar came with a few people and started an argument with those participating in the yatra. The argument escalated and stone-pelting and sloganeering started from both sides," Inspector Ranjan said in his complaint.
Delhi Police, in its investigation, has found that Ansar was previously involved in two cases of assault and was also arrested repeatedly under preventive Sections and booked 5 times under Gambling Act and Arms Act.
Inspector Ranjan added that to bring the situation under control, police officials at the spot used 40-50 tear gas shells. "The crowd pelted stones and fired gunshots at the police. As a result, several officers on duty and one local got injured. Sub-inspector Meda Lal received gun-shot injury."
The incident comes days after the violence that erupted during the Ram Navami processions in several parts of the country.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police on Sunday, 17 April, arrested 20 people in connection with the case, including Zahid, Ansar, Shahjad, Mukhtyaar Ali, Md Ali, Amir, Akshar, Noor Alam, Zakir, Akram, Imtiyaz, Md Ali, Ahir, Sheikh Saurabh, Suraj, Neeraj, Suken, Suresh, and Sujeet.
The Delhi Police has also "arrested" a person for firing, and a pistol has allegedly been recovered from him. He's been identified by police as a 22 year old. The Wire, however, has reported that this person is a minor as per his birth certificate. We are independently trying to verify this as well.
They have been booked under the following Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC):
147 (punishment for rioting)
148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon)
149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object)
186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions)
353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty)
332 (voluntarily causes hurt)
323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt)
427 (damage)
436 (mischief by fire with intent to destroy house)
307 (attempt to murder)
120B (punishment of criminal conspiracy)
Section 27 of the Arms Act.
The police, in a statement on Sunday, also said that the situation in Jahangirpuri was under control, and area domination, foot patrolling, and deep deployment had been ensured to maintain law and order.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and The Wire.)
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