Mumbai violence: One held for desecrating war memorial

, Aug 28: One of the two alleged rioters, suspected to have damaged the Amar Jawan memorial during the Aug 11

in Mumbai, has been detained, police said today.

"Abdul Quadir, who is suspected to have damaged Amar Jawan memorial, is being interrogated. We strongly believe he is one of the two rioters involved in desecrating the memorial," a crime branch official said.

So far police have arrested 51 alleged rioters for the Azad Maidan mayhem, in which two persons were killed and over 50 were injured, including 44 policemen, when a rally called to protest the alleged atrocities on Muslims in Assam and Myanmar turned violent.

Incidentally, a metropolitan court yesterday discharged three of the accused arrested in connection with the violence after the crime branch moved an application saying that the investigation showed they were not the part of the mob.

The court discharged Anees Davare, Aslam Sheikh and Abbas Ujjainwala after the crime branch moved an application under Section 169 (release of accused when evidence is deficient) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

On Aug 11, the protesters went on a rampage, attacking police, including women constables, torching media and police vans, smashing cameras of photo journalists and damaging buses.

PTI