13 injured in crossfire and stone-pelting

Savita’s husband Puranchand said there was some tension in the area since Friday night. “Initially, we heard rumours that the Mata ki Chowki had been disrupted. Later we heard a shop was set on fire.
Police were called in and the situation was brought under control. But that night we heard people banging on doors and asking those inside to get out. Soon, there was stone pelting again,” he said.

“Until 4 am, we could hear people on the streets. Then everything went quiet. Next morning, there was firing and we heard people screaming,” Savita said.

Another boy who also sustained a bullet injury in his stomach, said, “I was returning home with my friend from tuition when I got caught in the clash. The bullet hit me in my stomach. I lay there and saw people running all around me. Then someone took me to hospital,” he said.
Police said of the 13 injured, most were caught in the crossfire and stone pelting.

“We haven’t been able to identify any of the injured as the perpetrators,” a police officer said.

Aadil (34), an auto-rickshaw driver, was among those injured in the riot on Friday afternoon. It was Usman, another auto-rickshaw driver, who managed to rush him to the hospital.

“I had brought a passenger to Trilokpuri and saw Aadil surrounded by a mob. They picked up stones and started hitting him. I called out to people for help. When we approached the group, the men fled,” Usman said.