Cops examine the bike which was burnt in the violence the night before

JAIPUR: Galta Gate police on Tuesday arrested five persons for instigating violence on Delhi-Jaipur Road here on Monday night. As a precautionary measure, police also extended the ban on mobile internet in 10 police station areas of Walled City for the next 24 hours.

Although no reports of violence were reported throughout the day on Tuesday, a large crowd descended near Gangapol and pelted stones at cops around 10.30 pm. However, prompt action by the reserve police helped contain the situation.

Additional deputy commissioner of police Sumit Gupta said some stone pelting was reported in the area but the situation was quickly brought under control.

According to additional commissioner of police (law and order) Ajay Pal Lamba, Galta Gate police station has booked over 60 unidentified persons for arson, vandalising vehicles, attacking cops and blocking the highway. He said efforts were on to identify the accused.

DCP (North) Manoj Kumar said police were yet to find out what triggered the violence. “What caused the violence is a matter of investigation. All we know is that the local police station had received a report about the road being blocked near Eidgah on the highway. The first response team that arrived was met by a crowd of over 200 people. The locals were pushed back for a while but then their numbers swelled. Multiple reinforcements in quick succession were moved to the area,” Kumar said.

He added that over 12 police constables were injured during the violence that lasted for three hours.

Sources in city police told TOI that initial probe hinted that tension began with a scuffle at a market near Idgah. The argument snowballed into a major clash between the two communities. The road was blocked as a section of the crowd pelted stones at buses ferrying people to Haridwar .

Police commissioner Anand Srivastava said violence was first reported from Van Vihar area on Delhi road.

Intelligence sources told TOI that the genesis of Monday’s tension was a clash between Kanwarias and locals at Char Darwaja area near Ramganj on Sunday. One person, identified as Davendra Kumar (35), was critically injured after he was hit by a brick. He is battling for life in SMS Hospital.

