Those who do this don't deserve to be...: Gautam Gambhir on Jahangirpuri violence

"Stone pelting on Hanuman Jayanti procession is sad and condemnable," Gambhir, the Member of Parliament from East Delhi, said.

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Gautam Gambhir on Saturday (April 16, 2022) condemned the Jahangirpuri violence and said that those who do this don't deserve to be called Delhiites. 

Taking to Twitter after violence broke out between two communities during the procession in Jahangirpuri, leaving several policemen injured, the cricketer-turned-politician also urged people to maintain peace.

"Stone pelting on Hanuman Jayanti procession is sad and condemnable. Those who do this neither deserve to be called Delhiites nor to live here. I want to appeal to all to maintain peace," he tweeted in Hindi.

"The culprits will get the harshest punishment," Gambhir, the Member of Parliament from East Delhi, said.

हनुमान जयंती की शोभायात्रा पर पथराव दुःखद और निंदनीय है. ऐसा करने वाले न दिल्लीवासी कहलाने लायक हैं और न यहाँ रहने के. मैं सभी से अपील करना चाहता हूँ की शांति बनाए रखें. दोषियों को कड़ी से कड़ी सज़ा मिलेगी!

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) April 16, 2022

Meanwhile, fourteen people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri. 

According to Police, there was stone-pelting and some vehicles were also torched during the clashes between two communities on Saturday evening. A senior official said a police sub-inspector received a bullet injury during the violence.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Usha Rangnani said an FIR was registered Saturday under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 147 (rioting) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.

She also informed that nine people in total including eight police personnel and one civilian were injured during the clashes and are being treated at a hospital.

A sub-inspector has received a bullet injury and his condition is stated to be stable, the senior police officer said, adding further investigation is underway.

Drones and facial recognition software are being used to identify those involved in creating the ruckus, another police officer said.

All mobile footage and CCTV cameras installed in and around the vicinity are being scanned to identify the culprits and trace them, the officer added.

Officials said overall security arrangements have been stepped up in all the remaining 14 police districts of the national capital and technical surveillance mounted to ensure no untoward incident takes place.

(With agency inputs)