7 Held in Connection With Head Constable’s Killing in Delhi Riots

The arrested persons were conspirators as well as rioters, said the police.

Seven held in connection with head constable’s killing in Delhi riots.

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the killing of a Delhi Police head constable during communal violence in northeast Delhi last month, police said on Thursday, 12 March.

Head constable Ratan Lal died of bullet injuries he received during the clashes in Gokalpuri on 24 February. A case was registered in Dayalpur police station and it was being probed by the crime branch.

“Seven people have been arrested in Ratan Lal’s case. It emerged during investigation that the spot where the incident took place was the venue for an anti-CAA protest. On the fateful day, a conspiracy was hatched to attack police,” a senior Delhi Police official said.

Evidence in this regard has been collected. The arrested persons were conspirators as well as rioters, he said.

Besides Ratan Lal's case, The Quint also got access to more FIRs filed in other cases during the violence.

Two brothers have also been arrested in the case of Mrs Akbari, an 85-year old woman who died while her house was set on fire on 25 Ferbuary near Delhi's Khajuri Khas.

The violence in northeast Delhi last month claimed 53 lives and left over 200 injured. The riots were triggered by clashes between those protesting the Citizenship Amendment Act and those supporting it.

In Lal’s case, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime), Rajesh Deo said the seven people have been arrested on charges of rioting, assault on public servant and other IPC sections. “Charges of murder will be confirmed after further interrogation,” he said.

The accused were Saleem Malik (38), Mohd Jalaluddin (33), Mohd Ayub (35), Mohd Yunus (32), Arif (27), Mohd Saleem (46), all residents of Chand Bagh, and Mohd Danish (23) from Loni, Ghaziabad, they said.

The police has registered 712 FIRs and arrested over 200 accused in connection with last month's violence.

(With inputs from PTI)