45 bikers arrested for rioting

New Delhi, July 23 (UNI) In all 45 motorcyclists were arrested for creating ruckus on roads in Connaught Place area of New Delhi early this morning, after they damaged the car of a senior police official.

Police swung into action after eight policemen were injured in the stone-pelting at Connaught Place police station by the mischief mongers at about 0300 hrs, said sources.

Of the nearly 100-odd bikers, while 29 were arrested by the Mandir Marg police station sleuths, 16 others were caught by the Connaught Place police after the group ravaged several vehicles in the post mid-night hours, said the police.

''The rest managed to flee after they were chased.'' The arrested were remanded to 14-day judicial custody after being produced in a local court today.'' They were charged for rioting.

Prior to creating nuisance on the road the gang had manhandled the owner of 'Jain dhaba' at Shivaji Stadium of which police had information.

A reporter from a news channel was also beaten up and his camera broken after he tried to film them.

But stone-pelting at the Connaught Place police station which led to the damaging of the car of Additional DCP (New Delhi) and the injuring of the policemen led the police to swing into action.

All the accused, who attended the Gurudwara Bangla Saheb celebrations on the occasion on 'Gurupurab', were from West Delhi and were between 20-28 years of age.

Sources said the gang had been an eye sore for the police as reports of their nuisance would often pour in but it 'refrained' from taking action as they would generally create problems with people late in the night when hardly a couple of them would be on duty. But the damaging of the Additional DCP's car proved to be the last straw on the camel's back.

UNI