Stone-pelting, firing as mobs clash over theft charge in Loni

Ghaziabad: A dispute between two groups in Loni over the alleged theft of a water pump motor escalated into a full-blown clash on Monday in which stones were pelted and shots were fired, ultimately leading to a police case being filed against 33 people, of whom three were arrested.
The groups attacked each other in the Rashid Ali Gate area. Loni circle officer (CO) Rajneesh Kumar Upadhyay told TOI that on Monday, Imraan, a dairy firm owner in the locality, had accused a local, Majar, of stealing his water pump motor. The two had a heated argument. Soon, others became involved and what started as an exchange between two individuals turned into a violent standoff between two mobs.
Videos of the incident, which have since been doing the rounds of social media, show some people were carrying countrymade arms. According to police, both groups fired more than 10 rounds, but no one was injured.
“We have obtained CCTV camera footage and videos of the incident in which over 50 people were seen fighting and throwing stones at each other. Some of the people from both groups also fired at each other. Several stones and wooden and iron sticks have been recovered from the site. Police are trying to identify the people who fired from the CCTV footage,” a senior police officer said. He added that a police team had rushed to the spot on receiving information and managed to disperse the crowd.
An FIR under IPC sections 147 and 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 307 (attempt to murder) and relevant sections of the Criminal Amendment Act was registered against 33 identified and over 15 unidentified persons.
“So far, we have arrested three persons – Imraan, Anwar alias Ganja and Monu alias Shekhawat, all from Loni – in the case. Police are still trying to identify the other people involved in the clash from the CCTV footage and other videos,” the CO said.