Peace-making bids post-violence give no immunity to Jahangirpuri trouble makers: Police

The Delhi Police on Sunday said it would investigate the role of any man suspected of fomenting communal trouble recently in the capital's Jahagirpuri area despite his purported contribution to the restoration of peace in the area after the violence.

Northwest Delhi's Deputy Commissioner of Police Usha Rangnani made the assertion a day after the arrest of a Jahangirpuri resident, Tabrez Alam, accused of being involved in the Jahagirpuri violence though he was later seen acting as a member of the peace committee formed by the police.

During the investigation, if a person is found involved in the incident, action will be taken against him although he might have helped the force in urging the public to maintain peace and harmony, DCP Rangnani said.

The DCP made the statement after a video surfaced on social media showing Alam sitting among peace committee members with senior police officials and making appeals to the people to restore communal harmony.

The DCP said a piece of news is being circulated in media that accused Tabrez Alam has been arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police for his alleged role in the April 16 riots in Jahangirpuri.

It is further being claimed that Tabrez was one of the members of the Jahangirpuri peace committee besides also being an organiser of the Tiranga Yatra held in the riot-hit area on April 20.

"In this regard, it is clarified that after riots in Jahangirpuri, police had a prime and a very focused role of establishing peace and order in the area, during which a large number of people of all communities were co-opted to appeal to the people to maintain peace and communal harmony," Rangnani said.

Anyone from the area who approached the local police with the same idea was associated with the Aman Committee as a confidence-building measure with the community, she said.

"Investigation is independent of law and order and if the role of anyone is established during the investigation, the same is dealt as per law irrespective of the fact whether he has helped local police in establishing peace and harmony post riots in the area or otherwise," the DCP pointed out.