A handful of ‘peacefuls’ have destroyed the peace and harmony of Delhi. And they CANNOT be allowed to go unpunished

Communal tensions flared up in Delhi’s Hauz Qazi area in Chandni Chowk after a scuffle over parking space took an ugly turn. According to police, around 10.55 PM Sunday, a man identified as Aas Mohammed was parking his two-wheeler outside one Sanjeev Gupta’s home. The argument over the parking spot turned physical when a group of men from one side bashed up the other. The two were held and brought to Hauz Quazi police station for further investigation.

Times of India reported that soon after the altercation outside Sanjeev Gupta’s house, a group of 20-25 youths barged into Gupta’s house and assaulted him and pelted stones and liquor bottle at his house. Gupta’s wife, Babita, said that Aas Mohammad hurled abuses at her husband. “He retorted after which the youth left threatening him with dire consequences,” she said. 

“While Mohammad and Gupta were held in the police station, a false rumor spread that a man had been beaten to death. “Around 350 people gathered outside the police station and some went outside Gupta’s home, where a temple is situated. It is alleged that some unidentified men vandalized the temple,” an officer said.

“As the news of the scuffle spread in the area, locals gathered outside the police station and raised anti-police slogans. But police officers pacified them and asked them to disperse as both parties were submitting complaint against each other,” according to a police officer.

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A video of the mob gathered outside the police station has also surfaced on social media in which the mob can seen raising religious slogans like ‘Allah-ho- Akbar’. Anil Kumar Pandey, the priest of the 100 year old Gali Durga temple said, “A mob came to the temple last night at around 12 am. They vandalized the temple and left the place”.

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Urging people to help the police restore normalcy, DCP (Central) Mandee p Singh Randhawa said: “After some altercation and scuffle over a parking issue in Hauz Qazi, tension arose between two groups of people from different communities. We have taken legal action and all efforts are being made to pacify feelings and bring about amity.”

DCP Mandeep Singh Randhawa further added, “We have registered three FIRs — including two cross FIRs against Gupta and Aas Mohammed — and detained them. The third FIR has been registered in connection with alleged rioting and vandalism at the temple against unidentified persons. We are trying to arrest the accused.”

As tensions flared, senior Police officers arrived at the spot and 600 personal, which included paramilitary forces with anti-riot gear, were deployed in the area. Imams for the nearby local mosques were also called in to appeal to the mob to disperse and maintain peace. The following day, tensions remained high and many shops in the Chawri Bazar, Sadar Bazar, Khari Baoli and Chandni Chowk areas kept their doors shut. Sanjay Bhargav, who heads the Sarv Vyapar Mandal in Old Delhi, said, “The incident hit business today… those who come here to shop will get scared and not turn up if such incidents take place often.” Taking action against the perpetrators, Delhi Police has arrested two adults and one minor and more arrests are likely to follow.

It should be noted that despite the desecration of the temple in the Hauz Qazi area of Chandni Chowk, Hindus in the adjoining areas have so far maintained peace and have not resorted to any sort of violence waiting for the law to take its course.