All have been booked for rioting, murder and attempt to murder, molestation and damaging public property.
The police have arrested 23 people in connection with Saturday’s violence at the Azad Maidan rally that left two people dead and many injured.
All have been booked for rioting, murder and attempt to murder, molestation and damaging public property.
In their remand application, the police said that the violence appeared to be “pre-planned and pre-meditated” given the systematic manner in which it was carried out outside Azad Maidan.
Protesters had gathered at the ground on Saturday to condemn the clashes in Assam. But the rally suddenly turned violent with three TV broadcast vans set ablaze, and police vehicles and BEST buses pelted with bricks and stones. At least 45 policemen and women, three fire brigade officials and six from the general public were injured in the violence.
While the Mumbai Police said the 23 arrested had a role in the violence, defence lawyers accused the police of falsely implicating them.
There were arrested when they came to collect their parked bikes from Mahapalika Marg, the lawyers said. “Those arrested are poor people and students. They have nothing to do with the violence,” Wahab Khan, one of the defence lawyers, said.
During the violence, the mob snatched two self-loading rifles and a pistol from the police, the police said in the application.
Two magazines and 150 rounds of live cartridge were stolen from wireless vehicles of the Yellow Gate police. These are still to be recovered, the police said.
Recovery of a country-made pistol, shells, stones, iron rods, cricket stumps, hockey sticks, plastic cans and bottles filled with inflammable stuff point to a planned attack.
The police will seek the help of ballistic experts to find out if such weapons or police guns led to bullet injuries.
“We have told the court that we need to recover the stolen arms and ammunition,” Ambadas Pote, DCP (detection), said.
The Esplanade court has remanded all the arrested in police custody till August 19.
(With inputs from agencies)
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