New Delhi

National Security Act (NSA) was on Tuesday imposed against five culprits involved in the clashes that took place in Delhi's Jahangirpuri that erupted between members of two groups during a Hanuman Jayanti procession on April 16, top government officials said. NSA has been imposed against Ansar, Salim, Imam Sheikh alias Sonu, Dilshad and Ahir for their involvement in the Jahangirpuri violence, officials said.

The action was taken a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana to take strict action over Jahangirpuri violence.

On Saturday, the Home Minister also talked to Asthana and Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Depender Pathak over the incident and asked them to maintain law and order.

The situation turned tense in the north-west Delhi's Jahangirpuri soon after stone-pelting and chaos ensued following clashes between members of two communities during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in the evening.

The FIR, registered on the complaint filed by a police officer at the Jahangirpuri police station, mentions that there was a peaceful Shobha Yatra procession to mark Hanuman Jayanti and an argument escalated. It led to stone-pelting.

Asthana on Monday informed in a press briefing that 14 teams of police are investigating the Jahangirpuri violence case.

So far, 21 people have been arrested and two juveniles detained in connection with the incident that left nine people injured including eight police personnel and one civilian.

The Delhi Police Commissioner said that a close watch was being maintained on the social media platforms and assured legal action against those attempting to spread misinformation.

"Four teams of forensics examined the spot today. 14 teams of police are investigating the case from different angles. The investigation is in the initial phase. A total of 21 people were arrested and some others are on remand," Asthana said on Monday.

A total of 14 accused in the case were produced before the Rohini court on Sunday, which sent two prime accused - Ansar and Aslam - to police custody for a day. The remaining 12 were sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

 "We are monitoring social media closely, and legal action will be taken against those who are found spreading misinformation," Asthana said when asked about reports that flags were installed at a mosque. Three firearms and five swords have been recovered from the possession of the accused persons, said police.

"As of now, three firearms recovered. A forensic examination will be done on the recovery. Restrictions in the Jahangirpuri area were imposed to create a sense of safety. The police deployment will be decreased after the situation gets better," the Delhi CP said.

On the violent clashes, the Delhi top cop said, "An altercation between the two groups erupted, now what was the altercation and why it

happened, saying anything on this before concluding the investigation will not be right."

Ansar the Philanthropist

Meanwhile a report from Kolkata said after Ansar Sheikh, the name of another resident of Mahishadal, adjacent to the industrial township of Haldia in West Bengal, has emerged in connection with the communal violence that broke out in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area on Saturday.

Ansar Sheikh, one of the prime accused in the case, owns a luxurious house in Haldia, where he has an image of being a philanthropist.

Now it has emerged that the ancestral residence of Sheikh Aslam, another accused in the case, is just few kilometres away from the residence of Ansar Sheikh, who is accused of opening fire during the clashes in Jahangirpuri.

A senior official in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police said on condition of anonymity that the residence of Aslam is in Kanchanpur village under the Mahishadal police station in East Midnapore district.

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has already contacted the CID to get details of the accused having West Bengal connection.

A team from Delhi Police is also likely to visit West Bengal shortly in this connection, the CID official said.

As informed to the CID by the locals of Kanchanpur and the neighbours of Aslam, they all knew the latter as a carpenter, who was in Delhi for the last six months for professional reasons.

 "The local people of Kanchanpur have expressed surprise after hearing that Aslam's name has surfaced as an accused in the Jahangirpuri violence. He had no prior police records," the CID official said.

He also said that in all probability, Ansar Sheikh took the initiative of arranging a place for Aslam in Delhi.