A team of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) inspected AAP councillor Tahir Hussain’s house in Chand Bagh on Friday morning. Hussain has been named in an FIR filed in connection with the murder of 25-year-old Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma, who went missing on Tuesday night. His body was found in a drain the next day.
The FSL team collected samples and pieces of evidence from the house, amid allegations that petrol bombs, bricks and stones had been found on the terrace. The FIR has been registered under charges of murder, destruction of evidence and abduction, at Dayalpur police station.
In his complaint, Ankit’s father has alleged that Hussain had “assembled goons (gunde)” at his residence, and they were firing guns and throwing petrol bombs from the rooftop. The family lives in Khajuri Khas, close to Chand Bagh.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, on the other hand, blamed the central government and Home Minister Amit Shah for the violence that rocked Northeast Delhi from February 24 and questioned why the Army was not deployed in time. Speaking at a press conference in front of Andhra Bhavan Friday, he also blamed BJP leader Kapil Mishra for inciting violence through hate speeches.
Meanwhile, in a bid to rehabilitate those affected by violence, the Delhi government has set aside two night shelters in Shastri Park and outside GTB Hospital. However, many families have left their homes and moved in with relatives and friends in other areas.
The Delhi Police has registered 167 FIRs and arrested or detained 885 people in connection with the northeast Delhi violence, a senior officer said on Saturday. Thirty-six of the cases were registered under the Arms Act, they said. The police have lodged 13 cases for provocative social media posts on various sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. (PTI)
Flanked by his deputy, Manish Sisodia, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, Delhi government had received 67 compensation forms from people and the money would be extended to affected families from tomorrow onward.
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While all schools will remain shut in violence-hit areas of northeast Delhi till March 7, CBSE clarifies that board exams would be conducted as per schedule from March 2.
"Class 10 and 12 CBSE exams will be held as scheduled from March 2 onwards in Northeast Delhi also. Board has filed affidavit in Delhi High Court and it has directed Delhi Police and the govt to ensure safety of students and render all help to conduct exams in these areas," CBSE PRO Rama Sharma was quoted as saying by ANI.
In the wake of riots in north-east Delhi, the AAP government plans to launch a campaign against the use of WhatsApp in spreading misinformation and hateful messages, identified by the Delhi Police as one of the factors that aided in the communal flare up. Senior officials attached with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office informed that a dedicated number will be launched in which people can share such viral messages, along with the name and number of the sender. The identity of the complainant will be kept secret, an official said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday announced that the government held a review meeting with senior officials of all concerned departments today, adding that no fresh incident of violence had been reported from any part of Delhi today. He emphasised that the government's first priority was to "restore normalcy at the earliest".
"Four sub-divisions got affected during Delhi violence and there are about 18 SDMs in these sub-divisions. All of them have inspected there respective areas and they are identifying the houses/shops that got damaged during the violence," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain met victims of the Delhi violence at GTB hospital today and said, compensation had been announced by the government and asserted the guilty must be punished.
In wake of violence that rocked the national capital, authorities have decided to keep all the schools closed till March 7 in Northeast Delhi. The situation, they said, is not conducive to conduct examinations in violence-affected areas.
BJP MP Parvesh Verma, who is accused of making hate speeches, on Saturday said he would give his one-month salary each to the families of the policeman and Intelligence Bureau employees who were killed in the violence in northeast Delhi. At least 42 people were killed and over 200 injured as frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at locals and police personnel earlier this week, the worst riots in Delhi in over three decades. "I dedicate my salary of one month each as member of Parliament to the families of Delhi Police head constable Ratan Lal and IB officer Ankit Sharma, killed while doing their duty, in the unfortunate violence in Delhi," Verma, who represents West Delhi in the Lok Sabha, tweeted. (PTI)
After a video of a group of people sloganeering at Rajiv Chowk metro station in New Delhi went viral on social media Saturday, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) confirmed that the incident took place at 10.50 am and those involved in the act were handed over to the police. In the short video clip circulated across social media platforms, a group of people is heard chanting: “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro saalon ko (shoot the traitors of the nation)”. This slogan was earlier raised by BJP leaders, including Kapil Mishra and Anurag Thakur, against anti-CAA protesters.
The situation is far from normal and an environment of fear is still prevailing in Delhi, the Congress party said on Saturday, PTI reported. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma also claimed that a 'one-sided' investigation is taking place into the riots. 'We have no expectations from Centre or Delhi CM but we have hopes from the courts,' he told reporters.
Heavy police deployment, Aman Committee meetings and constant vigil helped the Ghaziabad administration and police prevent incidents of rioting, despite violence ensuing at the border. Some Northeast Delhi areas, where clashes broke out, lie within a few kilometres of the Ghaziabad border. Referring to an incident where the Ghaziabad Police crossed the border into Northeast Delhi to prevent a riot-like situation, officials said it was a “spontaneous” reaction. “I was standing at the border as I had come for an unscheduled inspection. Women and children were looking at us from the balcony as people began to mobilise at that spot. We crossed the border to help the people and prevent a huge law and order situation. We didn’t think about jurisdiction because it needed to be done at that point, and it was purely done for law and order reasons,” said Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, SP Rural, Ghaziabad.
On Wednesday, cousins of Mohsin Ali (24) stood outside the GTB Hospital mortuary hoping not to find their brother inside. With his photo in hand, they went inside, only to return minutes later with grim news — they had identified Ali’s body. Taking a moment to digest the news, they started the paper work to take the body back to their native village in Hapur. According to the family, Ali’s car was torched when he was returning from work in Chand Bagh. On Thursday, some of the family members were doubtful if it was him and requested to verify the body a second time. “The body we verified on Wednesday had different hair. This is not our brother,” said his cousin Haidar Ali, who has been at the hospital since Wednesday. The family found hope again. They spent Thursday looking at bodies and also checked the spot where the charred remains of his car lay. “There was a body in the mortuary that was completely charred. We have asked authorities to conduct a forensic test to find out if it’s our brother,” said Ali. Married in December, Mohsin was a generator worker and lived in Noida Sector 5.
A total of 42 people have died since the violence broke out. Of these, 38 were in GTB, three in Lok Nayak Hospital and one in Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital. The mortuary at GTB Hospital has 15 bodies, of which nine have been identified. On Friday, many families continued to flock hospitals in search of their loved ones who have been missing since the clashes. Among them is the family of Firoz Ahmed (35), whose wife Shahana last spoke to him at 11 pm Monday, when he called from an unknown number. “He told me he had been beaten up badly and that a stranger had given him shelter in Karawal Nagar. He said the man had fed him and given him first-aid,” she said. However, the number was unreachable the next day.
Taking a swipe at the Opposition, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said some political parties and "professional provokers" were rubbing salt into the wounds of those affected by the communal riots, but harmony will prevail, PTI reported. Provokers and perpetrators will be in prison and peace and harmony will prevail, the senior BJP leader said, adding that this should be "our commitment and the confidence". Instead of healing the wounds of the victims of the violence, some political parties and "professional provokers" are rubbing salt into their wounds, Naqvi told reporters. The "secular ride" on the unfortunate communal riots should be stopped, Naqvi said. "It is our collective responsibility to ensure the victims get justice and perpetrators are punished heavily and peace and harmony is restored," the minister said.
A "peace march" was organised at Jantar Mantar on Saturday against the communal violence, PTI reported. Slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram', 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' rent the air as hundreds of people gathered at the place carrying the tricolour. BJP leader Kapil Mishra was also present at the march organised by the Delhi Peace Forum, an NGO.
Friday prayers at a Dwarka mosque took place with around 10 policemen, including the area SHO, outside after allegations emerged that stones had been pelted at the structure early Friday morning — a claim denied by police. The Imam of Shahjahanabad mosque in Sector 11, Mohd Rashid, said the alleged incident took place around 2.30 am. Mannan, the Muezzin at the mosque, claimed they woke up to the sound of a thud and discovered broken glass and and stones inside. Delhi Police, however, claimed no such incident had taken place, with DCP Dwarka tweeting: “Rumours of stone pelting at a religious place by a mob chanting religious slogans in Dwarka are completely false. Public is advised not to pay attention to or spread rumours/fake news on social media.”
The situation in northeast Delhi was peaceful Saturday morning with residents gradually coming to terms with the damage, PTI reported. Security personnel have been conducting flag marches and holding regular consultations with locals to assuage their fears. They are also urging residents to not pay attention to rumours on social media and report them to the police.
In a bid to rehabilitate those affected by violence in Northeast Delhi, the Delhi government has set aside two night shelters in Shastri Park and outside GTB Hospital. While the one outside the hospital found no takers on Friday, two men whose relatives sustained injuries in the violence and were being treated at the hospital stayed at the shelter on Thursday night. Caretaker Rajesh Thakur said, “No one has come here on Friday. I will go outside the emergency ward and the mortuary to tell people that this facility is available to them.” However, many families have left their homes and moved in with relatives and friends in other areas.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad blamed the central government and Home Minister Amit Shah for the violence that rocked Northeast Delhi from February 24 and questioned why the Army was not deployed in time. Speaking at a press conference in front of Andhra Bhavan Friday, he also blamed BJP leader Kapil Mishra for inciting violence through hate speeches. “I blame the central government because if they had wanted, this could have been stopped. Where were they? This violence was allowed to occur for two days because the agenda was to scare away the anti-CAA-NRC protests, but we will not let that happen,” said Azad.
Meanwhile, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) apprised the court that it has postponed Board exams for Classes X and XII to be held on Friday and Saturday at 86 centres in Northeast Delhi. It said it was optimistic about holding exams at the centres from March 2 onwards. The CBSE also said it has no plans to shift the centres to other locations in the capital.
The Delhi High Court Friday directed the Delhi government and police to ensure the safety and security of students during their Board exams at centres in riot-affected areas of Northeast Delhi, and warned against any “breach of security”. Justice Rajiv Shakdher issued the direction to the authorities after arraying them as a party to a plea by a private school, Bhai Parmanand Vidya Mandir in East Delhi’s Surya Niketan area, seeking a change of its Board exam centre in Northeast Delhi. It issued notice to the Delhi government and the police, seeking their stand on the school’s plea by March 4.
On Sunday, when stone-pelting began, local youths at Mandir-Masjid Marg came out to inform people about mobs in the neighbourhood. The elders of both communities held an emergency meeting in which it was decided that the residents in the area will remain peaceful irrespective of the situation around. “For us, there is no distinction of Hindus and Muslims in this area. Our childhood has been spent at both the temple and mosque. Shortly after the news broke out, a mob tried to enter the lane from the side of the temple. They wanted to attack both places of worship in order to create a riot. We made sure that the crowd didn’t enter the lane,” said Faizan, a resident.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday condemned the violence in Delhi and criticised those who sees prospects of growth and opportunity in it. Those who see in violence prospects of growth or opportunity are just not civil. Violence in thought /action calls for unqualified condemnation. To hate one form of violence and ignore or observe silence on the other is a crime against humanity. Such selective approach inhuman,” Dhankhar said in a tweet.
A 24-year-old man, seen lying injured on the ground in a video clip which also has men in police gear telling him and four others to sing the national anthem and Vande Mataram, has died of injuries. The video began circulating Tuesday and families of two other men seen in the clip told The Indian Express that it was shot at Kardam Puri Monday evening when police were trying to control violence in northeast Delhi. Faizan, a resident of Kardam Puri, succumbed to injuries at the LNJP Hospital. Dr Kishore Singh, medical director of the hospital, said: “He was admitted to the neurosurgery ward of the hospital on Tuesday and died early Thursday morning. He had suffered gunshot wounds and was critical.”
Taking to Twitter, AAP leader Sanjay Singh asked why no FIR has been filed against BJP leaders accused of delivering hate speeches. "Do the FIRs that have been registered name leaders who delivered hate speeches? Will the media now ask under whose pressure has no FIR been filed against BJP leaders who gave hate speeches," he posted on the micro-blogging site.
Additional CP Randhawa said: “A total of 123 FIRs have been registered and local police, along with Crime Branch, are looking into the cases…25 cases of firearms have been registered. We have detained 630 people and more will be detained as the probe is going on. We have conducted over 47 peace committee meetings in northeast Delhi. Over 400 such meetings were held in different parts of Delhi.”
In Bhagirathi Vihar Phase 1, conversations revolved around the role of “outsiders”. “We have a school here and children need to come and study. We are being vigilant and the area is on the edge,” said Gaurav Jain, a resident. Shiv Vihar remained tense, with many residents seeking shelter with relatives in other parts of the city. On the stretch between Karawal Nagar and Shiv Vihar, a burnt car or shop could be seen every 50 metres. Two kilometres away in Chand Bagh, as a small group of policemen kept watch, residents said “the real test” would be once the forces start leaving.
The northeast district, meanwhile, saw peace meetings and police flag marches as residents attempted to pick up the pieces after days of violence. At Farrukhiya mosque in New Mustafabad, residents gathered on the roof for Friday prayers in batches around 1 pm. On Tuesday, a portion of the mosque and the neighbouring madarsa had been destroyed. “The mosque sustained damage, but we have to move on. Our priority is that no more violence takes place. Initially, there was apprehension about coming out for prayers but we believe the area will recover,” said Shahil, a resident of Mustafabad.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Ayub’s son’s, 18-year-old son Salman Ansari, said a group of “unknown people” brought his father, who was severely injured, to their home from where he took him to a local clinic on their scrap cart around 6 am. After first-aid, Salman said, they left for further treatment at GTB Hospital but his father died on the way. “My father had been at home for the last few days because of the violence. Today, he left around 4 am-5 am to collect scrap. I was woken up when some unknown people brought him to our home. He had injuries on his head, body and legs. He was still conscious at the time and told me that some men had stopped him in Shiv Vihar and asked him his name. Once he answered, they beat him,” he said. Salman claimed that they called UP Police who didn’t provide him with a vehicle. “I carried my father to a nearby private clinic on the cart in which we keep the scrap material,” he said.
The death toll in the violence that broke out in northeast Delhi on Sunday reached 42 after a 60-year-old man was beaten to death in Shiv Vihar early Friday morning, despite heavy police deployment in the area. Police identified Friday’s victim as Ayub Ansari, a scrap collector and resident of Loni in Ghaziabad, around 2 km from Shiv Vihar. They said a probe is underway and no arrest had been made so far. Incidentally, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had visited the area two days ago and Home Minister Amit Shah had held a meeting Thursday to discuss the situation. Police have so far identified 36 bodies of victims of the violence. Apart from Ayub, the others identified Friday were Mubarak Husen (28), Dilbur Negi (20), Monis (21), Babbu Salmani (33) and Faizan (24).
DCP (Crime Branch) Rajan Bhagat, who patrolled the area with 300 personnel, said: “For the last two-three days, we have held separate peace meeting with imams and pandits in Brijpuri and Mustafabad. The response has been good; people who were scared due to the riots are coming up and discussing their issues.” A Delhi Police spokesperson said 47 meetings have been held in Northeast Delhi. These included a handful of peace marches and meetings were held in Chand Bagh.
Security personnel have intensified peace-keeping measures across neighbourhoods in northeast Delhi in view of the communal violence that broke out Sunday, which claimed 42 lives. According to the police, 123 FIRs have been filed so far while 630 people have been detained. Follow our blog for all the latest updates.