Jahangirpuri violence: Paan kiosk run by 2 accused among shops tagreted by MCD

Police had picked up Akshar (26) and his brother Mukhtyaar Ali (28) on April 17, a day after the violence.

They claim the two have a criminal record. “They have involvement in previous cases of assault and Arms Act. We have technical evidence against them,” said an officer.

At the family home, the arrest weighed on the family’s mind as much as the demolition of a paan shop that helped them pay the bills.

“My children keep asking about their father. My father and uncle are sending us money but I don’t know how much that will help,” said Aspiya, Akshar’s wife, who lives in C-block.

“We were sleeping when the police arrived late at night. They pulled Akshar and said that he was involved in rioting. They also took his brother,” she said.

Aspiya said the paan shop destroyed in the drive was built in 2007. The family said that they had suffered a loss of Rs 50,000-60,000.

Aspiya’s sister-in-law Manu claimed the shop was not illegal, and showed receipts, purportedly from the MCD, to show that it had approval from the authorities.

“The shop is in my husband’s name. We have been paying all bills on time. I had sold my mother’s gold jewellery for the shop. Now, we have nothing. My brothers-in-law are behind bars, our shop has been destroyed, and many things stolen or damaged,” she said.

“Some locals now call us Bangladeshi, terrorists. These are the same people who used to buy drinks and food from us. I am extremely stressed,” said Aspiya.

Police maintained the arrested men were involved in stone-pelting and rioting during the shobha yatra. A total of 25 persons have been arrested so far in connection with the violence, and more arrests could take place in the coming days.