PHOTO: PTI

AGONY: The mother of a person, who was injured in the police action during wednesday's Delhi bandh, in tears at the GTB Hospital on Thursday awaiting the visit of Shahi Imam.

NEW DELHI: The police have arrested over 150 persons in connection with riots during Wednesday's bandh here against the sealing drive by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday.

The Crime Branch has been directed to investigate the Seelampur riot, in which four persons were killed and 10 others injured in police firing.

Three of the deceased are Kasim (16) of Welcome Colony, Ashraf (16) of Seelampur and Basik (32), a resident of Purnia in Bihar. Kasim succumbed to his injuries in the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital on Thursday morning. The identity of the fourth deceased, in his early forties, is yet to be established. Two of those injured in the firing are stated to be in a serious condition.

Seven cases

In northeast Delhi, where most violent incidents were reported, seven cases of rioting have been registered at Seelampur, Welcome, Gokalpuri, Khajuri Khas, Bhajanpura and Nand Nagri police stations.

On the transfer of Seelampur firing case to the Crime Branch, Joint Commissioner (Crime Branch) Ranjit Narayan said: "It is an investigation into the incident and not an inquiry."

At least 10 persons have been arrested by the Crime Branch so far.

The police said initial investigations revealed that at some places anti-social elements had even opened fire from country-made firearms at police teams.

In another case registered at the Khajuri Khas station, the police named Delhi Shiv Sena president Jai Bhagwan Goyal and several other party members for allegedly inciting violence and damaging public property. Mr. Goyal, however, claimed that the protests were spontaneous and reflected the anger and pain of the people. The northeast Delhi police have arrested about 120 persons in connection with the riots, while several others were arrested in south and southwest Delhi.

Defending the decision to open fire at the rampaging mob at Seelampur, the police said the situation would have otherwise gone out of control. "The mob damaged the vehicles of the Seelampur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and the Station House Officer (SHO) and also tried to set them afire.

It gheraoed the area ACP, SHO and the New Usmanpur SHO. This forced the police to open fire in self-defence," said a police officer.

The police appealed to the people, especially those affected by the sealing and demolition drives, to maintain peace and harmony.

"They should exercise restraint and not allow undesirable elements to take advantage of the situation."

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