Mother of juvenile apprehended in Delhi violence claims he is innocent

By Ashish Srivastava New Delhi, April 17 : A 16-year-old boy was apprehended by Delhi Police during the wee hours of Sunday and was being questioned in connection with the Northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri violence, his mother claimed. The family said it has been waiting in front of Jahangirpuri Police Station where the minor accused is being held for questioning. However, the police have not allowed the family to contact the teenager so far. The family alleged that the Police showed ‘high-handedness’ during the arrest of the boy. “The police barged into our house around 3:30 am when we were preparing for ‘Sehri’. Without giving any reason, they picked my son and thrashed everyone who questioned or resisted. Since then, we are waiting outside the Police station for a chance to meet him but the officials are not allowing us,” Nagma (name changed), mother of the juvenile accused told . When asked the whereabouts of her son, the mother said he was preparing food for ‘Iftar’ when the violence erupted. “He was cutting food for Iftar,” she claimed. The neighbours who also came to the police station in support of the family said the minor was seen on his house’s terrace when the clashes broke out. “We heard a loud noise which sounded violent. Everyone rushed to the terrace and outside their home to ascertain what just happened. I saw him on his terrace then,” said Kamala (name changed) who lives next door to the accused. The family and neighbours also said the incident was reported in B and C Block of Jahangirpuri which is at a distance of about 250 meters from their homes in the G Block. According to the family, the 16-year-old was the only person booked from the G-Block of the locality in the -incident that happened on Saturday evening where clashes broke out between two comm ties of the area during a religious procession carried out to mark Hanuman Jayanti. Nine people, including eight police personnel and one civilian, were injured during the clash, According to police. Total 20 persons have been arrested while two juveniles also apprehended in connection with Jahangirpuri violence, police said on Sunday. The pistol used in the clash by one of the accused has also been recovered from his possession, the police added. ASH GK