The Hindu : New Delhi News : 250 held for rioting during bandh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 08, 2006
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

250 held for rioting during bandh

Staff Reporter

Violence and road-blockades at several places in the city

ON THE WARPATH: Protesters damaging the road divider railing during Delhi bandh on Tuesday .— PHOTO: SANDEEP SAXENA

NEW DELHI: Nearly 250 people were arrested for the breach of peace and rioting and over 500 detained as a preventive measure as the Delhi police clamped down heavily on traders who resorted to violence and road-blockades at some places and tried to hold the city to ransom during their day-long bandh on Tuesday.

Most cases of violence were reported from East Delhi where windowpanes of four buses were smashed by the protestors at Pandav Nagar and Shakarpur on Vikas Marg around noon. The police used teargas and mild lathi-charge to disperse the mobs that indulged in stone-throwing.

The traders had earlier gathered in large numbers on Vikas Marg. They were allowed to march on the road for some distance. However, the police blocked their way as they tried to go all the way up to ITO.

In the meantime, some protestors began hurling stones at the police from the lanes and by-lanes adjoining Vikas Marg, the lifeline for East Delhi. The police chased the protesters and detained several of them on the charge of breach of the peace. In Mayur Vihar also the police resorted to a mild lathi-charge following incidents of stone-throwing. In all, 28 people were arrested for rioting and 132 protestors were detained in Laxmi Nagar, Mandawali and Mayur Vihar.

According to the police, 100 people were arrested for breach of the peace in South Delhi. About 120 others were detained when they tried to gherao the MCD office at Green Park and blocked the rush hour morning traffic.

In North West Delhi, 90 people were arrested and 208 detained at Rohini, Ashok Vihar, Sultanpuri, Prashant Vihar and Mangolpuri. Violent mobs smashed the panes of two buses in Rohini and one in Prashant Vihar. In adjoining West Delhi too sporadic incidents of violence took place and the police arrested 30 people and detained 20. ``Those arrested were found indulging in violent activities. Six of them damaged the central verge on Jail Road," said a senior police officer.

The arrests were made mostly under the Sections 107 and 51 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, while detentions were made under the Delhi Police Act. The detainees were released in the evening. No arrests or detentions were made in North-East, Central, North, South-West and New Delhi districts.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi