The crime branch’s crackdown on the rioters who caused mayhem on August 11 at Azad Maidan was largely aided by information from the Muslim community.

“Every day either someone from the community visits me or calls me to give information on some person who has been involved in the riots. People from the community have played a very important role in the investigations of this case,” said a source from crime branch. So far the crime branch has arrested 51 persons from several parts of the city and has identified many others in 14 days since the incident took place.

It is believed that many people from the Muslim community are irked with the actions of some of miscreants who have spoiled the name of the religion due to their deeds. Rayeez Shaikh, a tailor from Malwani, said, “Post the riots, we have been keeping a close watch on our youth. I have been in touch with some of the officers from crime branch to tip them about any person who is suspicious. The actions of some youth, who got carried away by provocation, have tarnished the image of their community.”

In earlier cases, police informants played a vital role in providing information to the accused.

Here it was the religious heads of the Muslim community across the city who came together to help the police in the case.

Though the police are not denying the role of informants in the arrests, they said that most of the rioters were nabbed with the help of people from their own community.

Many rioters repent their actions and have told the police that they were instigated and brainwashed to participate in the riots after showing them morphed and provocative videos of killings of their own people in Assam and Burma.