The Delhi Police on Thursday arrested one of the main accused from West Bengal in connection with the Jahangirpuri communal violence that broke out on April 16 during the Hanuman Jayanti procession. The accused has been identified as Farid alias Nitu and was arrested from his relative’s place in West Bengal.
The team is bringing him to Delhi where the Police will officially arrest him. This is a day after the Police arrested Jafar and Babuddin who were primarily involved in escalating the violence on April 16. According to the reports, Farid also was actively involved in the communal riots and played a major role.
The Delhi Police said that the accused had fled the spot on the next day of the violence and had been hiding in Tamluk. He kept on changing locations across the state of West Bengal. “We recovered CCTV footage and other videos from social media and locals. The man is seen firing at the other community”, the Police stated.
The Police also added that the Farid has been involved in over six cases of robbery and burglary and those related to the Arms Act among others. All three accused arrested on Thursday- Farid, Jafar and Babuddin are residents of Jahangirpuri and had played a major role in escalating the violence on April 16.
Earlier the Police had arrested Mohd Ansar and Mohd Aslam as prime accused in the case. The police also arrested 23 others and had apprehended two juveniles in the case. However, as reported earlier, the Juvenile Justice Board on April 27 granted bail to one of the minors as the counsel maintained that he was falsely implicated in the matter.
The Jahangirpuri violence saga began on April 16 when the Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked by Islamists who pelted stones and glass bottles at the procession. Several people got injured as the violence escalated after 6 pm. They (Islamists) also fired gun stots amid the violence and injured Police personnel.
The Delhi Police has so far arrested 28 people and apprehended two juveniles in the case. One of the minors has been granted bail. The Police have lodged an FIR against the accused under the provisions 147 (Rioting), 148 (Armed rioting), 186 (Obstructing duty of public servant), 353 (Assault on public servant), 307 (Murder attempt), 427 (property damage), and 436 (Attack by explosives) of the Indian penal code along with section 27 of the Arms Act 1959.
