The Delhi Police on Monday arrested 40 people after they received over 2,000 distress calls on March 1 in connection with rumours that riots had broken out in many parts of the city.
The maximum calls were recevied from south-east Delhi localities such as Shaheen Bagh and Govindpuri. Calls were also received from west and central Delhi.
“We have arrested 21 people from North West district, one from Rohini district and 18 from South district. The people were booked for spreading rumours under Section 7/51 of the Criminal Code of Procedure,” said a police officer.
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As rumours about violence in several parts of the city spread like wildfire on March 1, news about a few metro stations shutting down fuelled fears, said residents. Metro officials, however, maintained that some stations were closed after a security advisory was issued by the Delhi Police.
Around 8 p.m. on March 1, Ramesh Nagar Jyoti, a resident of west Delhi, received a call from his relative: “Do not go towards Rajouri Garden. Riots have broken out”. Even as she passed on the information to her neighbours, four gates of the colony were shut.
Gurupada Mandal, a resident of Govindpuri, said: “I was on duty when I got a call from my wife saying there were shots being fired and people were running around with lathis. Most residents decided to lock themselves indoors. It was only later when the PCR vans started patrolling that the situation calmed down.”
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Several residents of Madanpur Khadar also said they were “informed” about mobs roaming the streets even though “nothing happened to their houses”.