Jahangirpuri locals offer namaz amid heavy security

Residents of troubled Jahangirpuri offered Friday prayers at the violence-hit C-block mosque amid heavy security, with police saying the locality will remain barricaded for some more days to maintain law and order.

Anwar, a local resident, said the police designated a route for people to go to the mosque which had witnessed communal violence last week, leaving nine people injured, eight of them police personnel.

"Things are normal on our side. There is Jumma today. Our neighbours and others are going to the Masjid too. I myself visited the mosque and offered namaz. Police are not stopping us from visiting the mosque. They have given us a designated route to go there," Anwar told PTI.

Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Law & Order, eastern zone) Deependra Pathak said they are keeping a vigil in the area through CCTV cameras also.

"Barricading will remain for a few more days. Situation today is better than previous days and we are keeping an eye on law and order here," he said.

Meanwhile. the police prevented a Vishva Hindu Parishad delegation from meeting the locals and stopped them at the Kushal Chowk of Jahangirpuri.

On Thursday, the police had denied permission to All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi and a Congress delegation to meet the people affected by the violence and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment drive the day before.

All India Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party delegations are scheduled to visit the area and meet the affected people.

The North DMC drive has been stopped by the Supreme Court for two weeks.

The area witnessed stone pelting, firing and arson, as members of two communities clashed during the Hanuman Jayanti procession last Saturday.