4 arrested for murders during violence in north-east Delhi

The Delhi police have arrested four people in connection with as many murders committed during the communal riots in north-east district last month.

The detainees were part of a violent mob that gathered during the riots and allegedly hacked and stabbed four people to death in Tahirpur Puliya (culvert) area of the city, reports the Hindustan Times.  

Rajesh Deo, the deputy commissioner of police (crime branch) confirmed the arrests and said that the details regarding the identities of the arrested people as well as those four killed will be shared soon.

"The arrests have been made on the basis of evidence that we collected while probing the four murder cases. Some more suspects have also been identified. Raids are on to nab them as well," said Deo.

Communal violence ravaged several parts of northeast Delhi on February 24 and 25. Two special investigation teams (SIT) of crime branch have been probing the cases related to the incident.

A total of 702 cases were registered till Sunday while 2387 people have either been detained or arrested.

Two days ago, the SIT led by Deo had arrested 27-year-old Mohammad Shahnawaz in connection with the murder of a restaurant waiter, Dilbar Negi, whose charred body with his arms severed were found in the restaurant during the riots.

On Monday, the police claimed to have arrested a man named Danish, member of Popular Front of India (PFI) in connection with a case of riots that was being investigated by the crime branch. Danish was picked up from his home in east Delhi's Trilokpuri by the special cell sleuths.

A police office seeking anonymity said: "We arrested Danish to probe his role in another case in which we are looking into a larger conspiracy angle pertaining to the anti-CAA protests and the riots in northeast Delhi."

Fifty-three people were killed and 400 injured in the violence in north-east Delhi, which started on February 23 on a two-kilometre stretch connecting Jafrabad and Maujpur, with a conflict between two groups against and for the new cirizenship law in India.