Mata leaves chowki, but cops hearJNUSU jagran

The temporary religious structure in Trilokpuri which allegedly triggered a communal flare-up was removed on Saturday. Prohibitory orders were also relaxed for 13 hours in the area.

But the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union and other students’ group protested outside the police headquarters alleging victimisation of the minority community in Trilokpuri.

Delhi Police said the structure was removed after four-hour long  jagran – night prayer – on Friday night. Over 1,000 riot police and almost 30 police vans, water cannons and riot-control vehicles have been deputed in Trilokpuri’s 36 blocks.

In a bid to ward off any further trouble, police also organised a community meeting between Hindus and Muslims in the wake of Muharram procession on November 4.

But meanwhile, the JNUSU-led protest took on Delhi Police for their alleged role in the communal clashes the last week. In their demonstration outside the police headquarters, students raised concern over alleged arbitrary arrests.

JNUSU president Ashutosh Kumar claimed that most of those who faced arrest have been booked under non-bailable charges of attempt to murder.

Over five dozen students from at least four different student organisations joined the JNUSU-organised protest. Umar Khalid, who is part of a student fact-finding committee on Trilokpuri riots, claimed that the minority community has become the target of arbitrary arrests being made by Delhi Police.

Khalid said over 80 per cent people who faced arrest belong are Muslims.

Students also alleged that the police inaction allowed a drunken brawl over the temporary religious structure to take ugly proportions.

“First, police remained mute witness for several hours on October 24 even as the tension was escalating,” Kumar said. “When police acted, bias and arbitrariness was explicit in their action.”

Kumar said some FIRs don’t have names and descriptions of the suspects, thus leaving space for further arrests on false grounds.

Launching an attack on right-wing organisation, students alleged that an attempt is being made to polarise the situation in Trilokpuri.

“Organisations such as Hindu Jagran Manch, Hindu Ekta Manch and Gau Raksha Samiti are active in the locality,” Khalid said, while claiming that the riots were a “planned act”.

While demanding to make public the number of FIRs filed and arrests made till now, JNUSU in their letter to Police Commissioner B S Bassi asked for an action against police officers who failed to the violence.

The student body has also asked for a probe against former BJP MLA Sunil Vaidya who face allegations of instigating the riot.