ROLE OF OUTSIDERS IN DELHI RIOTS UNDER COP SCANNER

NEW DELHI: Investigating Delhi riots and to check if men from bordering Noida and Ghaziabad had entered Delhi on or before the riots, the Delhi Police’s Eastern range on Friday held a meeting with Ghaziabad and Noida Police to discuss whether the bordering areas had any connection to the recent communal riots in the national Capital. The meeting was held to discuss coordination among the police forces investigating the riots.

“We have conducted a meeting with Ghaziabad and Noida Police. The meeting was held on the matter that how can we cooperate in the investigation of the recent riots in the northeast part of the national capital,” Joint Commissioner of Police (Eastern range) Alok Kumar said.

Police are trying to identify the people who were part of the unlawful assembly and indulged in the February 23 violence. Several people have already been identified, they said.

A senior officer said the police are investigating the riots from all angles and putting all possible efforts to identify and nab the accused persons. In the violence hit areas, several locals have also pointed out to the role of ‘outsiders’ in rioting and arson in their interviews to media.

The Delhi Police has also got evidence that CCTVS of some areas was wrecked before the riots broke out. The cops have also recovered footage from Chand Bagh area where a group of men is seen damaging the CCTV before the riots broke out on February 24.

Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has arrested an accused in connection with the murder case of a man in Gokulpuri, whose body was found in mutilated condition in Anil Sweet House, Brijpuri on February 26 following violence in the national Capital, police said. The accused and deceased have been identified as Mohammad Shahnawaz (27), a resident of Shiv Vihar and Dilbar Negi (22), respectively. Negi’s body was burnt by a mob of rioters after cutting off his hands and feet. Six months back, he had come to Delhi from his native Uttarakhand to get employed.

Delhi Police has filed 690 cases, total 2,193 people either detained or arrested in connection with violence in northeast Delhi.