Ten police personnel were injured, two critically, in late night clashes at the Subhash Park site, where local residents led by MLA Shoaib Iqbal have claimed to have dug up remains of a Mughal-era mosque.
The protesters also damaged two DTC buses and a few private vehicles. Five motorcycles were torched.
Following the clashes, two persons have been arrested and three FIRs pertaining to rioting, arson and damage to public property have been registered.
Looking at the “grave situation”, a meeting has been scheduled on Monday at the Lieutenant-Governor’s office. Officials from the Delhi government, Archeological Survey of India and North Municipal Corporation, along with a few political leaders will attend the meeting.
Earlier, members of the VHP had also protested at the site, claiming the remains to be of a Pandav-era structure.
“The communal tension between the groups can lead to a serious situation in the area, and, therefore, we are meeting tomorrow to find a solution,” said a senior official of North municipality.
Police, on its part, denied that the Saturday night clash was communal in nature.
“There was no local support to the protesters. Prominent leaders of the area in fact helped us in diffusing the situation. The mob had no local support. The agitation was against the administration and not communal in any way,” said Rajan Bhagat, Delhi Police PRO.
Two of the injured policemen are admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital, with head injuries.
Local residents said the clash was sparked by a rumour that police were razing the structure at the Subhash Park site.
Tags: Delhi government
