Kite flying causes communal tension

An argument over flying kite on Independence Day sparked communal clashes between residents of Shiv Vihar and Chaman Park in the Gokulpuri area of North-east Delhi on Monday evening. 

Sources said that the clashes left several people injured. Meanwhile, senior police officers of the North-east district said that they have arrested one person and detained three person in connection with the matter.

A senior cop said that additional police forces have been deployed to keep an eye on the situation which slowly returned to normal.

According to sources, the trouble started at around 3 pm on Monday when two motorcyclists of Chaman Park allegedly objected to some persons flying kite on the road in Shiv Vihar. The duo asked the group of locals to give way at the Shiv Vihar area in Gokulpuri.

Sources further added that those who were flying kite were allegedly manhandled by the duo who went away but later returned with more men and clashed with the locals. The two groups allegedly pelted stones and hurled bottles at each other.

According to senior police officer of the North-east district, local police from both Karawal Nagar police station and Gokulpuri police station, under which the areas of Shiv Vihar and Chaman Park fall, tried to control the situation. In the clashes, cops too were injured and a head constable suffered head injury.

In light of the incident, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Gokulpuri, who allegedly did not respond promptly to the incident, has been “suspended”, said a senior cop.

Meanwhile, police said that additional forces were rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control on Monday. 

Apart from this, sources said that senior police officers of the North-east district met the locals from both the communities as a confidence building step and sought their cooperation in maintaining peace in the area.