JOIN US Local residents pelted stones at policemen after the maulana of a mosque in northeast Delhi’s Welcome area was detained for questioning on Friday night.
There were protests outside the mosque as well at the police station after rumours that the muezzin had been beaten up while being taken to the police station.
The police said they visited the mosque and asked Allauddin Alwi (36) to accompany them for questioning over a complaint from a local resident that a stone had been hurled at his house from the mosque.
But some sources said the local residents had complained about the loudspeaker at the mosque being too loud. The police said there was no violence in the area.
The maulana was released after questioning late on Friday night. But the local residents were demanding the suspension of the policemen who had picked him up.
The crowd pelted stones at police personnel, following which mild force was used to disperse the crowd, said a senior police officer.
The policemen came to the mosque situated adjacent to the Jamia Sunni Markaz madrasa in Janata Colony of Welcome area after the evening prayers.
Soon after the detention, rumours spread in the area that the muezzin had been manhandled.
People from nearby areas started gathering in front of the mosque and shouting slogans against the police.
On seeing the swelling crowd, police personnel from nearby Seelampur and Zaffrabad police stations were also called in.
But the situation deteriorated when someone from the crowd reportedly threw a stone towards the police.
Policemen reacted by wielding batons and tried to push people back into their homes. The slogan-shouting against policemen, however, continued. Senior police officers soon arrived at the spot with seniors from the community and tried to pacify the mob.
The police detained around six youths from the crowd. Around 1.30 am, the police released Alwi and others detained by them.
“The police have identified 15 people for rioting in the incident and soon action will be taken against them,” said a senior police officer. On Saturday, policemen were deployed in the area as a precautionary measure.