Bhim Army's Chandrashekhar booked for unlawful assembly, rioting in Darya Ganj area

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad has been booked by the Delhi Police for rioting, unlawful assembly and other offences in connection with the anti-citizenship protest in Darya Ganj area here on Friday.

Azad, who was arrested earlier today, hours after being detained outside Jama Masjid for participating in the massive protest which led to damage of properties. Yesterday, he escaped with the help of his supporters.

In the FIR, the complainant, Darya Ganj SHO Rakesh Kumar Sharma, said that the Bhim Army chief instigated a mob of around four thousand people outside the Jama Masjid during the Friday prayer.

After his speech, a mob of "thousands" started gathering between the Jama Masjid and the Delhi Gate, the police said.

"The Delhi Police tried to stop the mob at the Delhi Gate through barricading and asked the protesters to retreat. Around 6 pm, around eight thousand people gathered outside the DCP office, Central district and Darya Ganj," reads the FIR.

The FIR said that the mob stone pelted the police when they were forced to use water cannons to disperse the crowd.

Anguished by the police action, the mob set a car on fire and after police used "minimum justified force" to control the situation in which several people sustained injuries, adds the FIR.

According to the FIR, several policemen and protesters sustained injuries due to stone-pelting and several public properties were damaged in the violent protest.

A case has been registered against Azad under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and other relevant sections of the IPC.

Protests have erupted across the country against the Act, which grants Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

( With inputs from ANI )