Jamia Nagar learns the police story: all about encounter

The police for the first time explained the September 19 encounter at Batla House in a formal public-police interaction at Jamia Nagar on Friday evening.

The police for the first time explained the September 19 encounter at Batla House in a formal public-police interaction at Jamia Nagar on Friday evening. Attended by hundreds of residents, the event was marked by a robust exchange between angry and complaining residents and Delhi Police officials, who gave assurances and got across their point of view and version of the events.

DCP (Southeast) Ajay Chaudhary fielded questions and spoke of circumstances in the area after the encounter, which left Inspector M C Sharma and two terror suspects dead. Chaudhary assured residents that there had been misunderstandings and misinterpretations due to lack of communication between residents and the police. “We will give every resident and every problem faced by residents a patient hearing,” he said.

Rizwanur Mashir, president of Shaheen Bagh RWA, said, “We have had a history of producing scholars and leaders from this area but the silent sanctions imposed on us are not warranted.”

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Residents alleged that the police and the administration have started imposing sanctions on locals. They said people have been been “warned” to stay away from Jamia Nagar. Parvez Khan, area resident and cameraperson with a TV news channel, said: “The problem is not with the police or the media. It is only an aftermath of the generalisation and stereotyping that has followed the infamous encounter.”

A M Ansari, a retired librarian who lives in the area, said, “No company delivers food and other items here. Even schools have stopped sending their buses to the area.” Many others said buses drop their children outside Jamia Nagar, near New Friends Colony. They also alleged that the police have disallowed all construction work in the area now.

RWA members said at least 74 buses have stopped coming into Jamia Nagar and hundreds of students have suffered as a result. Residents also criticised the Jamia Nagar police station SHO and other policemen posted there for resorting to “illegitimate arrests” on occasions.

Agreeing that crime rate of the area was among the lowest in Delhi, DCP Chaudhary said, “The problems are legitimate and much work will have to be done about them. We will initiate action on the matter.” He refused to share further details.

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The event was organised by the NGO ‘Journalists’ Association for People’, formed by journalists living in Jamia Nagar.

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