Violence accused in judicial custody
Bijendra Ahlawat
Tribune News Service
Faridabad, November 2
The 32 persons arrested for violence and attempt to block the national highway in Ballabgarh on Sunday, soon after a mahapanchayat was held to demand death penalty for the accused in Nikita Tomar murder case, were sent to judicial custody on Monday.
Though the police used force to remove around 250 youths, who resorted to stone-throwing and attempted to block the national highway, located 500 metres from the mahapanchayat venue, officials blamed anti-social elements.
Meanwhile, Nikita’s brother Naveen was issued an arms licence. The officials claimed that anti-social elements tried to take advantage of flared up emotions at the meeting organised by some right-wing organisations and associations of a particular community.
“There are always elements which try to resort to anti-social activities under the guise of protests. This occasion was also used by such elements,” said Adarshdeep Singh, ACP (HQ).
As they resorted to stone-throwing on shops of members of the minority community, many of them reportedly used inflammatory words to incite communal hatred, he pointed out. “A total of 32 persons were arrested and over 200 others booked,” he said.
The situation had returned to normal as the police increased their presence and put barricades at all entry points, he added. Ballabgarh SDM Aprajita and ACP Jaiveer Rathi stated that permission had not been taken to hold the mahapanchayat.
According to OP Singh, Commissioner of Police, every member of Nikita’s family had been provided a security guard and Naveen issued an arms licence. The charge sheet was expected to be filed within four days, he said.
Revealing that three of the persons who had been arrested were found Covid-positive and put under quarantine, he said all those who attended the mahapanchayat required to get themselves tested.
Though a similar appeal had been issued by DC Yashpal Yadav, none of the officials spoke about the possibility of action on the issue of holding the mahapanchayat without permission.
