12 held after clashes in Delhi

Clashes broke out between two communities twice in the past 24 hours near north Delhi's Majnu Ka Tila area, leading to the arrest of 12 persons and deployment of a large number of policemen to control the situation.
The first clash, which originated from a scuffle between two youths in the locality, was reported around 10 PM yesterday and scores of police officials had to be deployed there.
Miscreants in the crowd soon allegedly started stone pelting and later police had to resort to mild force to bring the situation under control, said a senior police official.
Normalcy was restored after midnight and five youths were detained under Section 107/151 CrPC. However, no police officials were reported to be injured, the official said.

The situation went out of hand again today morning when several individuals from both the communities allegedly started verbally abusing each other in the open, despite police presence in the area.
The altercation soon turned into a war of bricks, with few locals hurling stones and bricks on each other on both side of the roads, said a police offcial.

Soon, some of the locals came out of their homes and started damaging vehicles parked on the road. The cops had to call for reinforcement and a platoon had to be deployed in the area.
The police registered a case of rioting and arrested 12 persons, six from each of the two communities, in connection with the violence, the senior official said.

He added that the police are questioning locals in the area to nab more trouble-makers in the area.
No policemen or locals were reported to be injured in the clashes today.
However, tension prevailed in the area till today evening and a police team shall remain there, guarding and monitoring the situation round-the-clock, at least for the next two days, the official added.