At least 14 injured in clash between two groups; four have gunshot wounds

Some more sporadic incidents of communal violence were reported from Trilokpuri on Saturday, as the area remained tense for the third consecutive day. According to police officials posted in the area, at least 14 persons have been injured in the clash . Out of them , four people have received bullet wounds.

While the residents claimed that the shots were fired by police personnel to control the mob, the police said that it were the local residents who fired at each other. Senior police officers said that they were trying to identify the persons behind the firing incidents.

Following the clash, the Delhi Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC in the area and advised people in the nearby areas, including Mayur Vihar Phase-III and II, not to visit the riot-affected zone for some days.

A statement issued by the Delhi Police said: “We have arrested as many as 60 miscreants under sections of rioting and arson. Adequate police force has been deployed in the affected area to prevent any further outbreak of tension. Local Aman communities have been activated for early restoration of normalcy.”

The tension that started over a small dispute on the night of Diwali took shape of a major clash on Friday.

Though there was no firing on Saturday, incidents of stone pelting were reported from within the heavily-barricaded areas. The first incident of stone pelting was reported around 11 p.m. and thereafter some people were attacked.

One youth was thrashed while he was on his way to work. “I was going to work in the morning. Some people stopped me and asked my name. When I said I am Farzan, they started beating me up,” he told The Hindu.

The clash started on Diwali over putting up a ‘Mata ki Chowki’ near a mosque in Block-15, Trilokpuri.

A senior police officer claimed that the situation was now largely under control. A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the area since Friday night and widespread search operations are on within the colony for the firearms and those who indulged in violence.

As a precautionary measure, police officers have advised people from other places of Delhi to not visit Trilokpuri area for the next few days.

“Rapid Action Force and several companies of police have been deployed in the area to take control of the situation,” said a senior police officer.

While police claimed that they have been able to restore peace in the area, residents continued to remain worried about their safety. Some locals also appealed to the administration to impose Section 144 of CrPC that inhibits unlawful assembly at a place.

On what sparked the riots, people from both communities had different versions. While Hindus claimed that Muslims tried to disrupt the 'Mata ki Chowki', members of the minority community charged that the chowki had been put up in front of their mosque disrupting their way.

Police, however, could not ascertain the exact cause that sparked the violence.

The administration shut all the shops in the locality and trucks were brought in late in the evening to clear the stones and bricks strewn around.

Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, the apex body of Muslim organisations, has sent a message to Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung requesting him to intervene and to provide adequate force to control the rioting.

Social activist Shabnam Hashmi also appealed to the administration and police officials saying: “A Mata ki Chowki was put up for 9 days in front of a mosque and had not been immersed after Diwali. When objected, last night countless outsiders gathered and stoning from both sides (took place). I am told by activists who visited the area that things can go out of control if (Section)144 (of CrPC) is not imposed. Kindly send your team on the ground. Please take action.”