Shaheen Bagh erupts as police team tries to detain Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi's nephew

New Delhi : Clashes broke out in Shaheen Bagh in South Delhi on Tuesday evening after a police team, looking for a "mobile thief", picked up the nephew of journalist Syed Mohammed Ahmed Kazmi who was arrested for his alleged role in the February 13 attack on an Israeli official in the heart of the city.

The police team went to Shaheen Bagh in unmarked cars and the personnel were in plain clothes. There, they picked up Kazmi's nephew, Hassan Ahmed, who is a student of Class XI, for questioning.

A clash broke out after residents tried to prevent the police team from taking away the boy. Residents claimed that the policemen had come earlier in the day as well and taken away a boy called Javed.

The area remained tense throughout the evening and the situation was brought under control after police deployment was increased.

Okhla MLA Asif Mohammed Khan alleged that Hassan was picked up by police to mount pressure on Kazmi's family.

Speaking to Newsline, Khan said the boy was on his way to tuition class when policemen stopped him and forced him inside a car.

"The locals saw the men taking the boy away and ran to help him. The men said they were from the police but the residents got angry and assaulted three policemen," Khan said.

According to residents, the police team came without an arrest warrant and did not inform the area police about the operation.

"We want an FIR registered against these policemen. How can they just come like this and take away anyone they feel like?" Khan said.

Police, on their part, said the team had gone to the area after it traced a stolen mobile phone.

"Police are now saying that Hassan stole a phone and they came to arrest him for that. He is a child. Somebody must have sold him a stolen phone and fooled him. How can they come and arrest him like this?" a resident said.

A relative of Kazmi said: "When the police picked him up, he shouted for help and the locals gathered. People asked the police team for ID cards. They refused saying they were from the Mumbai ATS. One of them later pulled out a card that said Special Cell. Why did the police lie?"

Kazmi's lawyer Mehmood Pracha said: "The police are saying the boy was picked for a mobile theft case. Since when has the Special Cell been involved in such petty theft cases? An inquiry should be conducted into this incident."

Source: The Indian Express