NSA Doval tours violence-hit areas, interacts with locals
New Delhi: In an effort to reach out to people of the strife-torn parts of north-east Delhi that witnessed violence over the last few days in which many lives were lost National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Wednesday took a tour of the area and interacted with the people.
"Situation is totally under control. People are satisfied. I have confidence in law enforcement agencies. Police is doing its work," said Ajit Doval.
Earlier, the NSA, who has been tasked with curbing the violence, held a meeting with the top brass of the Delhi Police at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (north-east) in Seelampur. Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Mandeep Singh Randhawa, newly-appointed special CP SN Shrivastava, Special CP (Law and Order) Satish Golcha and DCP of northeast Delhi Ved Prakash Arya were among those present in the meeting that lasted just over 30 minutes.
"If there is any trouble just tell us, forces are deployed in the area just for your area," Doval told residents while he was touring the area. Later NSA reached out to other residents. A woman told him that after he (Ajit Doval) arrived they have got some relief. Doval told residents to maintain peace and harmony in the area. At one of the area, residents told him about the firing, stone pelting, arson. "Don't be afraid we are here for safety. Police are deployed to maintain law and order," he said.
At Jafrabad, a young girl told him that she does not feel safe in the area. She also blamed the police for "inaction" when rioters went on a rampage. Doval, while replying to the girl, said: "You don't have to worry. This is the responsibility of the government and the police." When the student asked Doval to take a strong step as the "police are not doing their job," Doval assured her: "I give you my word".
To her, he said: "I give you my word. Everyone is safe here." He also asked police personnel to ensure that the girl reaches home safely.
Later he told reporters: "Police is working hard. Only some criminals were involved in this. One should try resolving issues and not increasing them. There were incidents earlier but today it is calm. Locals want peace. We have full faith that there will be peace.
"If God wills, there will be peace and harmony here (inshallah yahan par bilkul aman hoga)," he said. The NSA later briefed the Home minister about the current law and order situation in north-east Delhi and steps taken to bring back normalcy.
Meanwhile, an uneasy calm prevailed in north-east Delhi on Wednesday. People were afraid of coming out of their houses in the riot-affected areas. Joharpuri, Mustafabad, Gokulpuri, Chandbag areas in north-east Delhi continues to burn and the situation remained tense in the area. Even though the number of security forces deployed in the area has been doubled on Wednesday, there have been clashes between security forces and rioters.
A resident of Gokulpuri Mohammed Faisal said: "They hoisted an orange flag on the mosque and put a cylinder inside. They then threw bottles with kerosene inside the mosque. They tried every means to burn the mosque down. Adjacent houses were also burnt. This happened on the Gokalpuri main road."
In Mustafabad, houses and shops were burnt, while the situation remained tense. Houses of some Hindu families were completely burnt, while on the other hand a mosque and madrasa were in ashes. The tension was high and there was heavy paramilitary deployment in the area. People in the area said that the madrasa was burnt early on Wednesday morning. "They have burnt our religious books," said Karim, who is the caretaker of the mosque. The Imam of the mosque was also shot and is now recovering at GTB Hospital. Meanwhile, Sharma a shopkeeper in the area was looking through his ration shop that was looted and vandalised. "The mob did not leave anything," he said. Heaps of food and grocery lay in the gutters that flowed through the market.
