Supporters of MP,MLA clash; police station attacked

The incident was reported around 11 pm on Sunday; political rivalry between the two leaders is believed to have triggered the strife. While no injuries were reported officially,a Hashmi supporter claimed a policeman was hurt in the stone-throwing.

Hashmi is a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress,and Mohammed is the MLA from Okhla constituency,where Jamia Nagar is located. Mohammed won the bypolls to Okhla constituency after Hashmi,who is said to have considerable influence in the area,resigned from the seat following his Rajya Sabha nomination.

According to a senior officer,the fracas between supporters of the two leaders first took place at Joga Bai Chowk in Zakir Nagar,before reaching the Jamia Nagar police station.

According to the officer,a passerby saw the clash and called the Police Control Room.

While the police controlled the situation at Joga Bai Chowk,RJD supporters and several local residents gathered outside the police station after a while,the officer said. Seeking action against Hashmi,they allegedly threw stones at the police station.

The police then fired in the air and used teargas shells to stop the crowd,the officer said,adding that Hashmi also reached the police station with his supporters.

The RJD leader,meanwhile,claimed that Hashmi has been “looking for an opportunity to pick up a fight with us” after he raised a question in the Assembly about the MP and some other leaders apparently planning to sell government land worth Rs 200 crore. Mohammed said he raised the question about the plot in contention — khasra number 840,according to him — in the Assembly on March 11.

“Yesterday,when I was returning from my office,Hashmi and his supporters attacked me,” he alleged.

But one Irshad,one of Hashmi’s supporters present at the police station,said,“Parvezbhai was called to the police station by the Station House Officer on some allegations. When we reached there,we found Asif Mohammed present there with about 250 persons. They tried to attack Hashmi,and a policeman,Om Prakash,was injured in the melee.”

Irshad denied Mohammed’s allegations against Hashmi about plans to sell government land.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Virender Singh Chahel said a case of rioting has been registered against unknown persons.

“Cars belonging to both parties were damaged in the stone-pelting,” the officer said. Both vehicles have been confiscated. More police personnel were deployed at Jamia Nagar locality in the night to stop any further untoward incident.