5 more held, PCR staffer suspended for ‘barging into Tiwari’s house’

A DAY after several men allegedly barged into Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari’s North Avenue residence and assaulted staff posted there, Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested five more persons in connection with the case. Two others had been arrested on Monday.

Police said they have suspended a PCR officer, who had allegedly entered the premises of Tiwari’s residence along with the attackers.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) B K Singh told The Indian Express that after scanning CCTV footage, five more people were found to be involved in attack. “They were asked to come to the police station to join the probe and later arrested,” Singh said.

Police identified the accused as Om Prakash, Sunil Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Parshu Ram and Jagdish Kumar. Police had on Monday arrested two brothers, Jai Kumar and Jaswant Kumar, in connection with the case.

A case under IPC sections 452 (house trespass), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) was registered at North Avenue police station. On Tuesday, section 147 (rioting) was added to the FIR.

Special Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) M K Meena said the fight started when a car driven by Tiwari’s staff hit the vehicle of the accused. However, he added, “The case is not simply of road rage. People can be seen entering the house with rods, which makes it look like a case of organised attack.”

Sources said that around 1.05 am, Tiwari’s driver Mithun was driving a Scorpio car towards the house when he hit the accused’s Wagon-r. The Wagon-r overturned due to the impact. Mithun then parked the car outside Tiwari’s house and went inside, said sources.

Alleging that the attack may be a result of the BJP’S victory in the civic elections, Tiwari released the CCTV footage to the media, in which four persons, including a policeman, can be seen entering his house.

In one clip, two of his employees are seen being beaten up and running into the house, trying to hide from the attackers.