After Delhi clashes, mob targets cops in Karnataka over online post

New Delhi, April 17

The Delhi Police have arrested 20 persons and detained two juveniles in connection with the violence that broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the Jahangirpuri area of the Capital on Saturday, while fresh communal clashes have been reported from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

In the Jahangirpuri area, the Delhi Police also held meetings with “Aman Committees” amid heavy deployment of forces as an uneasy calm prevailed there.

Police officials said 21-year-old Aslam, who allegedly fired a bullet that hit a sub-inspector, was among those arrested. A pistol was recovered from Aslam, who is a resident of a slum in Jahangirpuri, the police said.

The police said there had been stone-throwing and arson during the clashes between two communities that left eight police personnel and a local injured. Some vehicles were also torched.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Usha Rangnani said an FIR was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting) and other relevant provisions of the IPC and the Arms Act. “One of the accused persons, identified as Mohd Aslam, opened fire that hit a sub-inspector of the Delhi Police. The pistol used by the accused during the commission of crime has been recovered from his possession,” Rangnani said.

“Drones and facial recognition software are being used to identify those involved in creating the ruckus,” said another senior police official.

Meanwhile, in the old town of Hubballi in Karnataka a large number of people are reported to have allegedly gone on the rampage damaging many police vehicles, a nearby hospital and a Hanuman temple and injured some police officials on duty over a social media post in the early hours of Sunday.

According to the Karnataka Police, prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been clamped in Hubballi city. “Around 40 people have been arrested and some FIRs have been registered. Twelve of our officers on duty were injured and some police vehicles were damaged. We have taken all precautionary measures so that such incidents do not occur again. We will not spare those who have taken law into their hands,” Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Labhu Ram is reported to have told media.

Speaking to reporters in Hosapete, the district headquarters of the newly carved Vijayanagara district, Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai termed it as an organised attack. He said, “I want to tell very clearly that whoever takes law into their hands, our police will not hesitate to take stringent action against them (rioters). Whoever they may be… Hence, whoever instigated the mob will be punished. I want to tell the organisations behind such incidents, not to break the law. Karnataka state will not tolerate it.”

In another such incident at Holagunda village in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, a minor skirmish led to stone-throwing between two communities but the situation returned to normal after the police intervened and pacified both sides, police sources are reported to have said.

The skirmish occurred on Saturday night while a religious procession was being taken out on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, they said, adding that additional police force was deployed to prevent any untoward incident.

BJP state president Somu Veerraju said the attack on the Hanuman Jayanti procession began from the mosque. He demanded that the perpetrators be arrested immediately.

One of the ‘plotters’ escalated matters: FIR

Ansar, 35, one of the alleged key conspirators behind the Saturday Jahangirpuri clash, had an argument with those part of Hanuman Jayanti procession that led to stone-pelting, according to the FIR. Ansar’s wife claimed her husband was innocent. PTI

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