New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) A Delhi court on Saturday sent three persons to 11-day judicial custody for their alleged involvement in the violence that broke out during a demolition drive near a mosque here in the Turkman Gate area.
Accused of pelting stones near the Faiz-e-Elahi mosque at Turkman Gate, Ubaidullah, Mohammad Naved and Mohammad Faiz were produced before Kartik Taparia, duty judicial magistrate, fast track court, who remanded them to judicial custody till January 21.
"In view of submissions of IO (investigating officer) concerned and also keeping in view the fact that the allegations against the accused are serious in nature and the investigation of the case is at initial stage, the application moved by the IO concerned is allowed," the court said.
With the fresh arrests, police have apprehended 16 people, including a juvenile, so far.
Earlier on Friday, the court remanded eight people to a 12-day judicial custody who were arrested in the same case.
An anti-encroachment drive near Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in the Ramlila Maidan area on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday triggered violence, as many people pelted stones at police personnel, injuring six of them, including the area's station house officer.
Police sources have said the violence was likely triggered by a social media post which claimed that the mosque, located opposite the Turkman Gate, was being demolished during the drive, and people started gathering there.
They claimed that 150 to 200 people were involved in pelting stones and glass bottles at the police personnel and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) workers.
MCD Deputy Commissioner Vivek Kumar had said around 36,000 square feet of encroached area was cleared during the drive.
A diagnostic centre, a banquet hall and two boundary walls were demolished during the drive that went on through the night, Kumar said. He also clarified that the mosque was not damaged in any way.