One killed in Delhi police firing

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JUNE 24. One person was killed and another injured when a group of policemen fired at a mob, which burnt a police post and three police vehicles, and was threatening to lynch the cops in the congested Yamuna Pushta area of North Delhi over the week-end. At least 14 policemen were injured.

Police fired eight rounds and lobbed more than a dozen tear-gas shells to scatter the 1000-strong mob, which gathered outside the Yamuna Pushta police post on Friday night. The immediate provocation, residents alleged, was that a few policemen had desecrated a ``madarsa'' and beaten up a youth living there.

Senior police officers said they had received information that a youth involved in last Sunday's bomb blast at Red Fort was living in a room opposite Mohammadia Masjid. He was identified as Ishaque Mollah. They said the room was hardly a ``madarsa'' as it was filled with construction materials.

The man admitted to being a Bangladeshi and was taken to the police post for further questioning. Following the incident, residents of a particular pocket in the sprawling slum near the police post were seething with anger. By midnight a crowd had gathered in front of the police post, demanding that Ishaque be released.

Violence was triggered when some in the crowd started throwing stones. Seven policemen at the post were under a hail of stones, bricks and bottles.

At this stage, eight ``short distance tear-gas shells'' were lobbed to disperse the mob. The crowd broke up for a while, but regrouped and attacked the police post. Some people entered the post and burnt and ransacked it. They also whisked away Ishaque Mollah, who is since absconding. Wireless sets were destroyed and a large number of documents were set on fire. A Gypsy and two patrol motorcycles were burnt.After lobbing some more tear-gas shells, the police fired eight rounds. Senior officers claimed that due warning had been given before the firing was ordered. A teenager, Mohammad Mujahid, was killed on the spot.

After the police opened fire, the mob retreated into the by- lanes. The police arrested 31 persons.

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