The Mumbai Crime Branch on Thursday arrested another alleged desecrator of the Amar Jawan memorial at the Azad Maidan during the August 11 riots.
Shahbaz Abdul Qadir Shaikh (29), a resident of suburban Jogeshwari, was arrested from Mumbai, Himanshu Roy, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), told reporters.
Earlier, the police had arrested Abdul Kadir Mohammad Yunus Ansari for allegedly vandalising the memorial. The two desecrators along with Salim Chaukiya, who allegedly snatched a rifle from a police official, were said to be the key rioters in the case.
Shahbaz was a driver of a tourist vehicle and his family earned a livelihood through modest means. Mr. Roy said he had criminal antecedents and was booked for theft in 2006.
The police arrested three more alleged rioters on Wednesday — Tausif Ismail Sheikh, Faisal Hussein Tabarak and Nadeem Sheikh. All three are from Mumbai.
Tausif allegedly stole the cell phone of a senior officer during the riots, Faisal Hussein Tabarak was allegedly seen participating in the riot in a video and Nadeem was allegedly seen beating a State Reserve Police Force constable in a video.
