At least 25 people have been arrested in connection with the stone-pelting and arson in which some vehicles were also torched during clashes between two communities on Hanuman Jayanti on Saturday evening in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area. On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, a procession of Bajrang Dal members undertaking a Shobha Yatra reportedly reached the mosque in Jahangirpuri’s Block C at 5 pm, when the incident took place. When the procession reached C-Block, some of those standing near a mosque got into an argument with the participants of the procession over alleged sloganeering by the latter.
The Daily Guardian has accessed the statements of Delhi 2020 riots case which are part of the charge sheet. These statements from protected witnesses throw light on how Jahangirpuri’s C Block where Hanuman Jayanti clashes and violence occurred is the same block from where hundreds of illegal Bangladeshis including women, children and men were part of the NRC and anti-CAA protests and were active in rioting and pelting of stones. This exposes a connection between the two incidents where the modus operandi seems to be similar. The statement has the name of Umar Khalid who’s accused of being a “key conspirator” in the violent clashes that killed 53 people and left more than 200 injured, in February 2020. Recently, a court denied bail to a prominent activist arrested 18 months ago for allegedly instigating riots in the national capital, Delhi.
One of the statements says: “One political party of India with name Welfare Party of India’s National President S.Q.R. Ilyas was in protest against the CAA law brought by the Government of India in Dec 19. That’s why the party workers protested from place to place. On 29/1/2020, the Welfare Party had a big protest at Jantar Mantar in which the party president (national) XXX had said that on the lines of Shaheen Bagh, there should be a women’s protest site in Jahangirpuri, where the party will help in all possible ways. During the conversation, he also said that illegal Bangladeshis live in Jahangirpuri, in coming February, we will do a big protest there in Jantar Mantar where women will participate in huge numbers. He also said here that he would introduce his son Umar Khalid to all of them. On 6th of February, Jahangirpuri C Block Idgah Park, under a tin shed at a protest site, several women and illegal Bangladeshis joined from around the area. Dr S.Q.R. Ilyas introduced his son to the people who came from Jahangirpuri and asked them to protest loudly. His son Umar Khalid also told the people of Jahangirpuri that ‘you people are Bangla-speaking, illegal Bangladeshi people live there. Until we fight against CAA. Till then, this government will not take back the black law’. The Jahangirpuri protest continued, in the evening of 22 February; a speech against the CAA in the protest site of Jahangirpuri, said that more and more women should be part of the protest against CAA from Jahangirpuri and will go to Shaheen Bagh on morning of 23 February and everyone agreed. On 23 February morning from Kushal Chowk (the same Kushal Chowk where Hanuman Jayanti clashes happened and continued), 6 to 7 buses, about 300 people, women, children, men together headed to Shaheen Bagh. Later, on the night of 23 Feb, I discovered that these buses headed from Shaheen Bagh towards Jaffrabad and Seelampur where same women had pelted stones and did rioting after which I distanced myself from the protest activity of CAA-NRC.”
This statement plays an important role as sources in Delhi police said that the probe aimed at probing the possible link of accused with the 2020 North East Delhi riots and anti-CAA-NRC protests. Meanwhile, local residents said that Jahangirpuri is a hub of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Delhi, especially in C Block and H2 jhuggis. They allegedly participated in and fuelled the violence.
The Delhi Police has arrested a 28-year-old man, who was seen opening fire during a clash in the city’s Jahangirpuri area, officials said on Monday. The accused has been identified as Sonu, alias Imam alias Yunus, a resident of C-Block in Jahangirpuri, they added. “A video was circulating on social media platforms on Sunday, showing a man in a blue shirt opening fire during the riots in Jahangirpuri. He has been nabbed by the special staff of northwest district,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) North-West, Usha Rangnani said.
Earlier, one more accused was arrested in connection with the Jahangirpuri violence, said police. The total number of arrests in the case is now 23, while two juveniles have also been apprehended. “During the probe of the Jahangirpuri violence, one more accused, namely a 36-year-old Sheikh Hameed has been arrested. He is a scrap dealer. During interrogation, he disclosed that he had supplied bottles that were used for pelting during the incident,” said DCP Usha Rangnani.
A Delhi court on Monday extended the police custody of two prime accused in the Jahangirpuri case, while four other fresh accused have been sent to judicial custody. Two key accused—Aslam and Ansar—were produced before Rohini court on Sunday, which sent them to one-day police custody till Monday. They were again produced before the court on Monday along with four other accused of the violent clashes. The four others have been sent to 14 days of judicial custody. A day ago, during submission before the court, Delhi Police alleged that the main accused—Ansar and Aslam—got to know about the “Shobha Yatra” on 15 April and then they built this “conspiracy.” Delhi Police also said, “We have to go through the CCTV footage, and identify others involved in this case.”
A total of 14 accused in the case were produced before the Rohini court on Sunday. Of these, two were Ansar and Aslam, while the remaining 12 accused produced before the court, were sent to judicial custody for 14 days. Earlier, an altercation between two groups erupted during a religious procession in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri on 16 April that left nine people injured including eight police personnel and a civilian.
As many as 14 teams of police are investigating the Jahangirpuri violence, said Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana on Monday. “Four teams of forensics examined the spot today. 14 teams of police are investigating the case from different angles. The investigation is in the initial phase. A total of 21 people were arrested and some others are on remand,” Asthana said.
“We are monitoring social media closely, and legal action will be taken against those who are found spreading misinformation,” Asthana said when asked about reports that flags were installed at a mosque. “As of now, three firearms have been recovered. A forensic examination will be done on the recovery. Restrictions in the Jahangirpuri area were imposed to create a sense of safety. The police deployment will be decreased after the situation gets better,” the Delhi CP said.
Meanwhile, bricks were thrown at the Delhi Police Crime Branch team at C-block in Jahangirpuri on Monday where they were probing the violence. “The recent media report of fresh stone pelting is an exaggeration of facts. It was a minor, one-off incident. Legal action is being taken. One person has been detained,” Delhi Police said. Rapid Action Force and police had been deployed in the violence-hit Jahangirpuri area. (WITH AGENCY INPUTS)
