Families of those arrested say their kin innocent, cops high-handed

New Delhi: While the Delhi Police have said that they have arrested 23 people and apprehended two juveniles in the Jahangirpuri violence, the statements of families of those arrested show that at least two minors might have been arrested as adults — one from the Hindu community and one from the Muslim community.

The boy alleged to have been arrested as an adult is from the Sarkar family and is 17 years old. His father and two brothers have also been arrested in the case and are accused of organising the procession without police permission.

Suken Sarkar's wife Durga Sarkar said her husband is a 'Gau sewak' and the family sells milk products for a living. However, she refused her family members' involvement with the communal violence.

Durga claimed, "Yes, my husband and sons were present at the Hanuman Jayanti procession. But that does not relate them with the violence." Her son Suraj is 20-year-old, her second son is the 18-year-old and the third son of the woman is a minor, but still, the police have taken him away without providing any details of the crime, she claimed.

Meanwhile, Asphia said that Aslam, her brother-in-law, a minor too, was also arrested by the police as an adult. While his birth certificate, seen by Millennium Post, showed that he was 16 years old, the police have claimed he is 22. The family claims that he was at home during the procession and that the police took him away around 2 am that night. She also alleged she was roughed up and beaten up by policemen.

29-year-old Meenu Haldar, wife of another accused Sujit Haldar (34) told that around 15 police personnel came in the civil dress and nabbed her husband on Sunday, who is a driver by profession. She also said the procession was going peacefully but that violence erupted when an argument with locals turned violent near the mosque.

According to trusted sources, all of the accused have been booked under sections 147/148/149/186353/332/307/323/427/436 and 27 Arms Act.

Millennium Post also spoke to the mother of Imam Sheikh aka Sonu and Salim Sheikh, who is said to be a key accused. She claimed that both her sons are innocent, and the police came to their residence at about 3 am to take them away.

In Aslam's case, a petition had been filed before the Delhi High Court, which has now directed the Delhi Police to produce the accused in question before the Juvenile Justice Board without delay.