Jahangirpuri violence: No attempt to hoist saffron flag on mosque, says police chief

According to the inputs from the ground, a police team had gone to Jahangirpuri on Monday to look for the accused, Sonu Chikna, who has been missing since the clashes. Sonu, as per reports, was caught on camera firing a gun during the April 16 clash.

New Delhi: Trouble brewed again in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on Monday after a police team probing the violence met with resistance from a suspect's family following which more security personnel were deployed in the area.

So far at least 23 people, including two minors, have been detained in the violence that erupted during the Hanuman Jayanti procession on April 16. According to the inputs from the ground, a police team had gone to Jahangirpuri to look for the accused, Sonu Chikna, who has been missing since the clashes. Sonu, as per reports, was caught on camera firing a gun during the April 16 clash.

Police, who have arrested his brother Salim, had arrived to question the family when members and neighbours allegedly threw a brick at them. Seeing that the violence could escalate, Rapid Action Force (RAF) was brought in to ensure no fresh clashes took place in the area. "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 after several reports claimed that there was fresh stone-pelting in the area.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana said 23 people from both communities have been arrested so far in connection with the Jahangirpuri violence. He asserted that those involved will not be spared irrespective of class, creed or religion. The city police chief also denied claims that attempts were made to hoist saffron flags at a local mosque in Jahangirpuri during the Hanuman Jayanti procession.

He told a press conference here that some people were trying to spread rumours on social media to keep the situation tense, and appealed to people to ignore them. The investigation into the Saturday clashes has been handed over to the Crime Branch and 14 teams have been formed to take it forward, he said, adding four forensics teams also visited the spot to gather evidence. The probe will cover all angles through analysis of CCTV footage and digital inputs, he said.