4 min readNew DelhiApr 19, 2022 08:51 AM IST
First published on: Apr 19, 2022 at 02:31 AM IST
A day after arresting 20 people and apprehending three minors in connection with communal riots at Jahangirpuri, police made a fresh arrest — that of 28-year-old Imam alias Sonu, who was seen in a video purportedly firing a gun during the violence. Police said they had identified him from the video being circulated on social media. “Acting on an input, he was apprehended by Special Staff of Northwest district from Mangal Bazaar road and a sophisticated pistol was recovered from his possession,” police said.
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As police went to arrest him, a fresh incident of stone-pelting was reported from Jahangirpuri, police said. Stones and bricks were thrown from a roof, close to the site of Saturday’s clash, and the Police and Rapid Action Force officials blocked the area.
DCP (Northwest) Usha Rangnani said: “A video was being circulated on Sunday on social media showing a man in blue kurta opening fire during the riot in Jahangirpuri area on April 16. A police team from Northwest district had gone to his house… to look for him and to question his family members. The family members pelted two stones on them in retaliation. One of the stones hit inspector Satender Khari, who was deployed near Kushal Chowk, and he sustained an injury to his right ankle. Legal action is being taken. A case has been registered. A woman has joined the investigation.”
The stones were thrown near the entry of the narrow lane in which the family’s home is located. Following this, security personnel in riot gear sealed entry into the lane and sealed the main road with barricades.
Action against shobha yatra organisers
The Delhi Police also registered an FIR against organisers of the shobha yatra for allegedly not seeking permission. DCP Rangnani said: “A case under IPC Section 188 has been registered against organisers for carrying out a procession on the evening of April 16 in Jahangirpuri area without any permission. One accused person has joined the investigation. Further investigation is in progress. The other two processions which were carried out in morning and afternoon on April 16 in Jahangirpuri area had due permission.”
The organisers, which include the Delhi unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, claimed they had received permission. VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said they will go to the court against police for “framing” their workers. “We never organise any rally without permission. This time too, we got permission from the Delhi Police. Someone should ask them why they made security arrangements for our shobha yatra if we did not have permission…”
The Indian Express accessed two letters submitted by the VHP’s Delhi branch (Mukherjee Nagar district) on April 14 to Jahangirpuri and Mahendra Park police stations, both of which had a police stamp. The letters, which sought security and traffic management during the shobha yatra to mark Hanuman Jayanti, were unsigned but mentioned the name of Braham Prakash, co-department secretary.
Prakash said, “… I did not apply for permission… another party worker, Prem Sharma, did. But we did have proper permission for the procession.” Prem Sharma said, “We received permission from Delhi Police from two police stations.”
On claims by the organisers that they received permission, the Delhi Police spokesperson declined to comment and said a statement has already been issued in this regard.
This is the second FIR filed since the violence. An earlier FIR was registered at Jahangirpuri police station in connection with the communal flare-up between two communities.
Security deployment remained heavy days after the clashes at Jahangirpuri. (Express Photo by Praveen Khanna) 
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