By Nikita Jain and Sumedha Pal / The Wire
New Delhi: Five women, all Muslims, have alleged that they were picked up by Delhi Police and illegally kept in custody for 42 hours over what police claim is their connection with the communal violence that took place in the city’s Jahangirpuri area on April 16 this year.
On the day, a Ram Navami procession halted outside a mosque in the C Block area and provocative slogans were raised, reports have said. Amid tensions, violence was seen in the area.
In its charge sheet, Delhi police have identified three main conspirators and has accused them of instigating riots and inciting youth in the region.
The Wire had earlier reported on locals’ allegations on Muslim residents being harassed repeatedly by police investigating the communal violence.
Some of the women The Wire spoke to then are among the five who have alleged that they were illegally picked up and kept in custody.
Jahangirpuri resident Bano* and her daughter had previously told The Wire that they had been receiving threats and were being asked to get the men in their family to surrender. Police, they had said, suspect that Bano’s son had a role in the violence.
This story was originally published in thewire.in . Read the full story here