New Delhi: Delhi’s Trilokpuri area remained tense Sunday though no violence was reported, police said, a day after five people were shot at during a communal clash, leaving one in critical condition. But police denied the area was curfew-bound.
“The situation is tense but under control. No fresh violence or clashes have been reported,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Ajay Kumar told IANS.
Police had detained around 70 people till Saturday night after two groups of Hindus and Muslims pelted stones at each other Friday. After a brief lull, clashes erupted again and five people were shot at Saturday evening.
Three of the wounded were identified as 16-year-old Ajit, who has a back injury, 15-year-old Arjun, who is in critical condition with a head wound, and Praveen, whose age is not known.
Following Thursday’s clash over Diwali celebrations, the authorities imposed prohibitory orders banning illegal gatherings.
Trilokpuri residents said there was “a curfew like situation”. Delhi Police denied this. “There is no curfew like situation, but section 144 of CrPC (prohibiting unlawful assembly of people) is imposed in the area,” spokesman Rajan Bhagat told IANS. The whole of Trilokpuri, divided into 36 blocks, were being manned by more than 1,000 security personnel – from Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force and Central Reserve Police Force.
Over 30 police vans, water cannons and riot control vehicles have also been deployed. Some of the roads where street clashes took places were strewn with stones and broken bottles Sunday. Though police said the five were injured in mob firing, their families blamed the police. (IANS)
