Delhi violence: Normalcy returning, police urges people to share pictures, footage of riots

New Delhi: While no big incident of violence has been reported in past 24 hours and normalcy seems to be returning in violence-hit areas of the national capital, the Delhi Police has made a fresh appeal to people not to believe in any rumours or spread fake videos, messages or anything that could further deteriorate the situation.

Delhi Police late on Thursday issued an appeal urging people and media persons to come forward and give their statements and share pictures and video footage in connection with the violence in North East Delhi.

"Whereas incidents of clashes have taken place in the northeast district, Delhi since February 23. All those who are witnesses to the incidents or have captured any activity on their mobile phones or camera are hereby requested to come forward and give their statements, footage and pictures in their possession at DCP office, northeast district, Seelampur, Delhi, during office hours, on any working day within seven days," B K Singh, Additional CP Crime Branch, said.

 Police have issued two mobile numbers - 8750871221 and 8750871227 - for witnesses to contact and share information regarding riots in Delhi. Delhi Police have promised to keep the identity of witnesses secret. 

Delhi Police have also constituted two Special Investigation Teams (SIT) under the Crime Branch, Delhi Police to investigate the recent violence in northeast Delhi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a meeting on Thursday evening to review the law and order situation in Delhi after clashes in parts of the national capital over the citizenship law claimed the lives of at least 38 people, including a police Head Constable and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer Ankit Sharma, and left over 200 people injured.

The meeting was attended by senior police and government officials, including the Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik and Special Commissioner (Law and Order) SN Srivastava.

In other developments, Delhi`s ruling AAP on Thursday suspended its Municipal Councillor Tahir Hussain, who has been accused of involvement in the northeast Delhi violence and also been booked in the murder case of an Intelligence Bureau staffer.

"Tahir Hussain has been suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party for the duration of the probe against him in connection with the Delhi violence," the Aam Aadmi Party said in a tweet.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, when asked about charges of involvement in violence and arson in northeast Delhi against the AAP councillor, had said, "Any person found guilty should be given strict punishment. If any Aam Aadmi Party member is found guilty, he or she should be given double the punishment."

The Delhi Police had registered a murder case against Hussain in the killing of IB staffer Ankit Sharma, on the basis of a complaint given by Sharma`s father.