The clashes broke out in the evening and within hours, the Delhi Police contained the situation with the help of paramilitary forces. By 8 p.m., the situation was under control, yet tense.
Throughout the night, the IANS team was on ground zero to watch the police and how things transpired during the night.
The place where the violence erupted was on the road just next to Kusal Cinema Hall, on the opposite side of which is a mosque. The area became the epicentre of the heavy police deployment, with the road extensively barricaded from all sides.
Along with Rapid Action Force personnel, the police could be seen in large numbers, manning every street in and around the area.
An uneasy calm prevailed throughout the night. Several senior police officers, including Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak, were on the spot till 3 a.m. When IANS spoke to him, the Special CP assured that the situation was now under complete control. After speaking to the media during the small hours of Sunday, the Special CP left.
However, district DCPs of all the neighbouring areas, including DCP Northwest Usha Rangnani, DCP Rohini Pranav Tayal and DCP North Sagar Singh Kalsi remained afix at the spot.
Though the situation was peaceful, yet, at short intervals weeping sounds could be heard, as the cops continued probing the incident and detentions took place.
Amidst all of this, suddenly, at around 3.30 a.m., the police were seen bringing out a short stout man from the dark streets of the area. As the cops were taking him into custody and pushing him inside their vehicle, one of them said: “Is he the Khodu. Is he Khodu? Have we got him?”
The accused was then hurriedly bundled into the police van and whisked away. This morning, it was learnt that the man Md. Aslam, alias Khodu, alias Aslam Ali, who opened fire at police personnel. Pistol used in the commission of crime has also been recovered from his possession.
According to police, it was also found that accused Khodu was previously involved in one case of Jahangirpuri police station in which he was booked under sections 324, 188, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
So far, nine arrests have been made under sections 147,148,149,186,353,332,323,427, 436,307 and 120B of the IPC and section 27 of the Arms Act.
As the morning broke, people could be seen coming out of their homes with fear and hope of a new beginning!
–IANS