Heavy Security At Delhi's Turkman Gate: Police Identifies 30 Stone Pelters, Raids On To Nab Them

New Delhi: Security has been beefed up in the area near an old mosque, in Delhi's Turkman Gate area, on Thursday, where a demolition drive carried out by the civic body turned violent in the early hours of Wednesday, as locals resorted to stone pelting in protest against the exercise. The Delhi Police have so far identified 30 people who were involved in the stone pelting incident with the help of CCTV and body camera footage.

Visuals from the spot showed heavy police deployment in the area near the Faiz-e-Elahi Masjid on Thursday. Bulldozers were also spotted in the area, removing the debris.

Meanwhile, the police is conducting multiple raids around the area to apprehend the stone pelters. The police has arrested another six accused in relation to the incident, apart from the five already arrested. They have been identified as Afaan, Adil, Shahnawaz, Hamza, Atharr and Ubed.

Police to Summon Samajwadi Party MP

After it was revealed that Samajwadi Party (SP) Member of Parliament Mohibbullah Nadvi was allegedly present at the site during the incident and may have been instigating the mob, the Delhi Police will send a summon to the Rampur MP, directing him to join the investigation.  

According to some sources, Nadvi was present at the spot before the violence and despite repeated requests by senior Delhi Police officials, he remained in the vicinity. A video of Nadvi arguing with the police at the Faiz-e-Ilahi Masjid has also gone viral.

Bail Pleas Of Accused Stone Pelters To Be Heard Today

The accused in the stone-pelting incident were sent to one-day judicial custody on Wednesday. Their bail pleas have been filed and the hearings are scheduled at the Tis Hazari Court on Thursday.

The Delhi Police have arrested five people in connection with the stone-pelting incident that broke out during the anti-encroachment demolition drive.The arrested individuals have been identified as Kashif, Mohd Kaif, Mohd Areeb, Adnan and Sameer.

On Wednesday, the police registered cases against them under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other laws. Speaking to ANI, Joint Commissioner of Police (Central Range) Madhur Verma said that cases were registered under sections 121, 123 and 221 of the BNS, along with section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and section 191 (rioting).

Was Samajwadi Party MP Present There?

Responding to queries regarding the presence of the Samajwadi Party (SP) MP at the site, the Joint Commissioner confirmed that preliminary findings indicate that the MP was present earlier but not during the demolition itself.

"In a preliminary investigation, it has come to light that he was indeed present there, but he had left by the time the demolition began. This is being investigated. If something comes forth, it will be acted on," Verma said.

Social Media Videos Instigating Violence Taken Into Cognizance

The police have also taken cognisance of several social media videos that were allegedly circulated to provoke violence. According to Verma, law enforcement agencies are closely examining the content and the individuals behind it.

"A few videos have come on social media and our team has also detected a few videos wherein attempts are being made to instigate hooligans. They (people who posted) will be summoned and questioned as part of the investigation. If someone's role is established in a conspiracy. Action will be taken against them," he said.

ALSO READ: Delhi Police Probe Hashtag ‘Delhi 6 Faiz Dargah’, As Social Media Posts Circulate Amid Turkman Gate Demolition Drive