The violence that broke out in Punjab and Haryana after the Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS) chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was found guilty in a rape case, reached Delhi too with at least seven incidents of violence reported in a matter of hours.
Major among them was the torching of a train stationed at the yard at Anand Vihar railway station where a couple of bogies were set afire. Another major incident was that of a group of unidentified men burning a bus near Loni roundabout.
LG Anil Baijal and State Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appealed for calm as reports about more such incidents from all parts kept pouring in on Friday evening.
"I appeal to all to maintain peace & have directed Commissioner of Police to take effective measures to ensure protection of life & property," tweeted Mr. Baijal.
“Two empty rakes of Rewa Express at Anand Vihar Terminal railway station were set on fire,” said Northern Railway Spokesperson Neeraj Sharma.
Around 4.30 p.m, a call was received by the police control room informing that miscreants had set a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus on fire near Loni Gol Chakkar. It was also reported that there were anywhere between 25 to 30 boys carrying sticks and pelting stones.
According to DTC, one bus was torched by two yet to be identified men at Jahangirpuri in northwest Delhi. No casualties or injuries to passengers have been reported so far, say police.
Supporters under watch in Delhi too
Bus-burning incidents were also reported from Outer Delhi’s Mangal Puri near Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital and West Delhi’s Khayala.
According to the fire department, seven cases of violence have been received in the fire control room. Though no lives have been lost or injuries reported, agencies fear that it could spread.
The Hindu had reported that intelligence inputs have suggested that the Delhi police would keep an eye on an estimated 20,000 supporters of the DSS chief, spread across close to a dozen locations in the capital.
On the eve of the pronouncement of a judgement by a special court in an alleged sexual exploitation case against Rahim, intelligence agencies had suggested that the Delhi police be prepared for possible law and order exigencies that may materialise at border locations such as Najafgarh and Mehrauli in addition to densely-populated areas such as Krishna Nagar and Kirti Nagar among others.
“A report on the subject has been shared with top Delhi police officials in addition to senior representatives of the Punjab and Haryana police. Mr. Rahim enjoys much support across several pockets located in Delhi as well as along its borders,” said an intelligence official.
However, despite the arrangements, the violence took place.
In neighbouring Ghaziabad, the police appealed for calm and shared the control room number on social media platforms asking citizens to proactively report all cases of violence.