Deonar fire: Two more scrap dealers arrested

Two more scrap dealers were arrested by the Shivaji Nagar Police late on Thursday night, in connection with the Deonar dumping ground fires. They were presented before the Metropolitan Magistrate’s court at Kurla on Friday and have been awarded police custody till April 25, when the next hearing will take place. Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsing Nishandar confirmed the arrests.

Police sources alleged that one of the two arrested men is the mastermind of the dumping ground fires, and both were working in co-ordination with 13 other scrap dealers arrested by the police last week. The arrests come after the high-level probe conducted by additional commissioner of police (east region), Manoj Lohia hinted at ‘sabotage’ in the starting of the dumping ground fires, sources said.

The two men arrested on Thursday are residents of the Rafiq Nagar area in Deonar. They were arrested from their homes and have been identified as Atik Ahmed (42) and Rafiq Ahmed (49). Both are brothers who own a scrap workshop around the dumping ground wall.

When asked about the evidence available against the arrested brothers, police sources said, “The matter is under investigation and we will submit all details to the court. Meanwhile, we will interrogate the arrested dealers for more information.”

The accused have been booked under several sections of the IPC, including act of negligence spreading a disease and causing danger to life, negligent conduct with respect to fire, mischief by fire with intent to cause damage over Rs 100, and mischief by fire with intent to cause damage to house.