Protests over power,water across city

Protests over lack of water turned violent in Sangam Vihar. This is the second violent protest in four days.

A clash had ensued between two groups,leaving at least nine injured in front of a local mosque. Six of the injured were women and three persons are still admitted in the AIIMS Trauma Center.

Locals said the clash was with the “water mafia”.

“The place is controlled by jal mafia,” Kishori Shukla,a local woman activist,said. “We have to stand in long queues and still pay the jal mafia. We were protesting about this,” Maqsud Alam,a resident,said.

Residents claimed that three bore-wells in the area are the property of Rahmania Mosque. After going waterless for over four days,the locals called a meeting early on Sunday morning,in which they concluded that the bore-wells were enough and decided to confront the maulvi and ask why they were not getting water.

Around 8 am,they went to meet the cleric. What ensued is unclear but violence broke out,with two groups resorting to stone pelting. The situation got worse when the police reached and at least four buses were damaged.

Sanjay Kumar Jain,Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast),said: “People were protesting over the lack of water. We are investigating if there was another reason as well.” The police had to use “mild force” and the situation was brought under control around 2.30 pm.

In Okhla,residents took out a protest in front of the Delhi Jal Board office after they did not receive their day’s supply.

Over the past five days,protests have been reported from Paharganj,Tilak Nagar,Malviya Nagar,Khanpur,Ambedkar Nagar,Sangam Vihar,Kondli and Rajbir Nagar.