How an altercation became a riot: FIR records escalation of violence
NEW DELHI: A local Muslim man, Mohammad Ansar, 35, and threefour people from the community, engaged in an altercation with the participants of a Hanuman Jayanti procession on Saturday evening that led to rioting and violence in north west Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, according to an FIR registered by a local police officer.
“A Hanuman Jayanti procession began from Ee-block at 4.15pm, and went throught various localities peacefully. However, when it reached near the Jama Masjid in C-block around 6pm, a man named Mohammad Ansar, 35, and four-five of his associates, reached the spot and picked up a fight with the participants of the yatra. Soon, stone pelting began between the two sides,” the FIR said.
According to the police, the violence escalated within seconds, and despite the police intervening and separating the two groups, they threw stones at each other, damaged property, the police said.
To be sure, this is the police’s version of the events, as recorded in the FIR, and may be contested in the court.
Representatives of the Jamiat Ulama-e-hind met deputy commissioner Usha Rangnani on Sunday, and said that the police investigation prima facie appears to be targeting a particular community.
The police have so far arrested 21 people, and detained two minors in connection with the violence -16 of them are Muslims.
“Were the rioters only Muslims? And, what were the Hindus doing? We don’t support the criminals, but we never leave the innocents on the mercy of police. We’ve requested the DCP, to conduct fair investigation. We believe that they will do fair probe of the matter. And, even then they’ll implicate any innocent in false cases, our legal team will support them at any cost,” said leader of the delegation who asked not to be named.
The FIR also does not mention the reason behind the altercation. According to local residents, some of the yatra participants entered the mosque and hoisted saffron flags. Mohammad Suleimaan, 72, who lives in Lane number 3 near the mosque, said that there were several “new faces” in the procession . “We know each Hindu who lives in our area, but they were outsiders. First, they tried to enter the mosque, and then started hoisting their communal flags outside the mosque’s gate. I couldn’t see anything more than that as my daughter-in-law dragged me inside the house. But, one thing is sure that they were not from our locality,” he said.
The FIR was registered on the statement of sub-inspector Rajeev Ranjan of Jahangirpuri police station, who was among those injured during the violence.
The FIR said as violence escalated, the police called for backup. At least 40 tear gas shells were lobbed to control the rioters, said the FIR. As many as seven FIRS have been lodged at the Jahangirpuri police station, and over a dozen suspects are being questioned, the police said.
Special commissioner of police (law and order, zone-1) Dependra Pathak said that investigation is being done without any biases or prejudices.
“We have enough footage from CCTV cameras, and statements by the local residents. We’ll not touch the innocent people, but also not spare the guilty persons, who ignited the communal fire,” he said.
Pathak said that all suspects are local residents, and most of them run small businesses such as mobile repair shop, tailor shop, auto repair units.
“Three firearms and five swords have been recovered from the possession of accused persons. A total of nine persons, including eight police personnel and one civilian, sustained injuries in the incident and they are being treated at Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital,” Pathak said.
“One of the conspirators, 35-year-old Mohammad Ansar, resident of B-block in Jahangirpuri has also been arrested. He was found to be previously involved in two cases of assault and was arrested under preventive sections and booked five times under Gambling Act and Arms Act,” he said.