4 held, 11 detained in Mulund firing case

Mumbai, June 21 (UNI) City Police today burst teargas shells and resorted to lathicharge to disperse a group of Sikhs, who had turned violent and attacked Mulund railway station and stoned passing vehicles, including City transport buses, following last night's shooting incident in front of a mall here, in which one person was killed and three others injured.

Police swung into action and arrested four people and detained eleven others in connection with last night's incident. City Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor told mediapersons that the situation in the violence-hit areas of the city was under control, with men of Rapid Action force and the State Reserve Police deployed additionally.

The Sikhs carrying swords and ''Kirpans'' went on a rampage in protest against the shooting incident, involving the group belonging to Ram Rahim Singh of Dera Sachcha Sauda. A policeman was injured in the incident. The agitators also forcibly downed the shutters of shops and demanded the arrest of Ram Rahim Singh, who had already left the State.

Director General of Police A N Roy said the situation in parts of the State was normal and action would be taken against those who indulged in violence today.

In the shooting incident last night, bodyguards of Dera Chief Ram Rahim Singh opened fire on a group of protestors in front of a shopping mall in Mulund, killing one person on the spot and injuring three others. Soon after the news spread, Sikhs from different parts of the city rushed to the locality and resorted to ''rasta roko'' agitation demanding the arrest of Ram Rahim Singh.

Later, in the morning they went on a violent spree at the Mulund station and adjoining area, pelting stones and stopping the suburban services. They also damaged some BEST buses. All educational institutions run by the Sikh community in the city were closed for the day.

Mr Gafoor said the police have arrested four people in connection with last nights incident while three of them including Ram Rahim Singh's bodyguard Guru Singh, Bishmalal Taneja and Satnam Arora were arrested in Raigad district and later remanded in police custody.

One other person was arrested this afternoon at Raigad and eleven others were detained. Ten others were detained in Pune, another person was picked from Kapoli and they would be handed over to the city police today.

Three of the arrested persons were booked under section 146, (rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with dangerous weapons) and 302 (murder). Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate N N Srimangle remanded them in police custody till July 2.

UNI ST/AAA VK AKJ NS1705