Daryaganj Violence: Families Wait Outside Police Station, Not Being Allowed to Meet Kin

New Delhi: Standing outside Daryaganj police station, Mohammad Salim looks anxiously through the iron gates as he awaits news about his son-in-law Irfan, who had come to drop his pregnant wife at her parents' place in the walled city but ended up behind bars.

Irfan was among the 15 people who were arrested after violence erupted during a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act near Delhi Gate here, with protesters pelting stones at police.

"He (Irfan) had come to drop his pregnant wife, my daughter, and while returning to his home in Khazoori Khas he stopped at a mosque to offer namaz," 53-year-old Salim, a garment trader, told PTI on Saturday.

He said police have not allowed him to meet his son-in-law.

"They (police) have not let us talk to him and we have been told that the arrested people have been taken to Tis Hazari Court," he said.

Salim isn't alone. The family members of others who were arrested have also gathered outside the police station, waiting to hear about their loved ones.

Mukim, 30, says he saw his father, Ashfaq, being detained by police on television.

"My father, who is aged 60, works at a welding shop in the area. He had come out after hearing the commotion. I saw two policemen taking him away on TV channels," he said.

Ashfaq's wife, Acchi Bi, questioned the police action.

"You tell me how it is fair for anyone to hit or arrest a 60-year-old person. It can't be that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi is not seeing all this, what is he doing," she asked.

According to police, initially 10 people were arrested in connection with the violence in Daryaganj, but later five more were held.

Those arrested have been charged with rioting and using force to deter policemen from doing their duty, they said.

Also among those arrested is Furqaan, a resident of Nehru Vihar. He had come to Daryaganj to buy machinery for his welding shop in Ashok Vihar.

Furqaan's cousin, Irshad Saifi, who has been waiting outside the police station since last night, claimed the police action is an eyewash.

"They (police) have arrested people just to show that they are doing something," Saifi said.

During the protest on Friday evening, the protesters had also set afire a private car parked in Subhash Marg area. The fire was immediately doused, according to police.

Asked who the car belonged to, a source pointed to the office of the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) next door and said, "It belonged to someone from there".

A guard at the DCP's office refused to divulge details but said "it could be of a police officer".

Later in the day, a local court sent the 15 people arrested in connection with the violence to two days' judicial custody.

Bhim Army Chief Sent to 14-Day Judicial Custody

A Delhi court on Saturday sent Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad, who was arrested in connection with the violence in Old Delhi's Daryaganj area, to 14-day judicial custody.

Azad, who was arrested earlier in the day, sought bail from the court on the ground that there is no evidence that he instigated the Jama Masjid crowd to go to Delhi Gate where the protesters had turned violent.

The police opposed his bail plea on the ground that he may threaten witnesses and his judicial remand is necessary for the sake of law and order.

The court dismissed his bail plea and sent him to 14 days' judicial custody.

Earlier, a lawyer had requested the court to direct the investigating officer to give details of Azad's whereabouts.

The court also sent 15 people arrested in connection with the violence in Daryaganj to two days' judicial custody.

Bhim Army had organised a march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar on Friday against the new citizenship law, despite not having permission from police.

The protesters marching towards Jantar Mantar from Jama Masjid were stopped by police and paramilitary personnel near Delhi Gate, after which violence broke out. Police resorted to lathi-charge and used water cannon to control the situation.

Meanwhile, a Delhi court also sent 11 people, arrested in connection with violence in Seemapuri area of Northeast Delhi on Friday, to 14 days' judicial custody, a lawyer in the case said.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mayank Mittal sent the accused to jail as the police did not seek their custodial interrogation, said advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, who represented the accused.

The counsel submitted before the court that three of the accused had serious injuries and there was no prima facie case made out against any of them.

She further said the police had not placed on record any MLC (Medicolegal Case) to show the nature of injuries received by security personnel and to suggest how section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was applicable against the accused.

"Section 307 of IPC was slapped only to curtail the liberty of the accused persons," she said.

Stone-pelting and incidents of violence were reported on Friday from Daryaganj in Old Delhi and Seemapuri during protests against the CAA/NRC, police said.