NEW DELHI: The case of communal clashes in northwest Delhi's Jahangirpuri will be investigated by the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police, an official said here on Monday.
"The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch, " a senior police official told IANS.
The development comes just a day after Special Commissioner of Police Dependra Pathak had said that teams from northwest district police and the Crime Branch are jointly working on the case.
Severe clashes broke out between the two groups of people, belonging to different communities, during a Shobha Yatra procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in Delhi's Jahangirpuri area.
So far the police have arrested a total of 21 people and apprehended 2 juveniles.
The arrested accused were identified as Salim alias Chikna (36), Zahid (20), Ansar (35), Shahjad (33), Mukhtyaar Ali (28), Mohd. Ali (18), Amir (19), Aksar (26), Noor Alam (28), Md. Aslam (21), Zakir (22), Akram (22), Imtyaz (29), Mohd. Ali (27), Ahir (37), Sheikh Saurabh (42), Suraj (21), Neeraj (19), Suken (45), Suresh (43) and Sujeet Sarkar (38), all residents of Jahangirpuri.
Several among the accused were found to be previously involved in criminal cases. According to the police, the main conspirator of the violence, Ansar, was found to be previously involved in two cases of assault and was also arrested repeatedly under preventive sections and booked five times under the Gambling Act and Arms Act.
It was officially learnt that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch has been formed to probe the whole incident which will consist of five assistant commissioners of police and 10 inspectors.
Meanwhile, the sleuths of the Crime Branch have already initiated the investigation and earlier in the morning, could be seen examining the area where the violence took place.
Apart from the Crime Branch, an eight-member forensic team is also on the spot to collect samples and evidence. The team is likely to furnish its report within a week.