09-16-2006, 01:21 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Bukhari, MLA loyalists clash </b>
Staff Reporter | New Delhi
<b>Supporters of Shahi Imam Ahmad Shah Bukhari, and Matia Mahal Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Shoaib Iqbal pelted stones and hurled abuse at each other in the Jama Masjid on Friday</b>.
The police had to use teargas shells to control the angry mob. The drama continued from afternoon till late evening. More than 10 persons received minor injuries in the whole incident.
<b>The area around Jama Masjid turned into a battlefield on Friday afternoon after the Friday namaaz ended. The Shahi Imam was protesting against Pope Benedict XVI for his comments on Prophet Mohammed and was demanding that he should apologise. </b>
He was making announcements from Jama Masjid. <b>The local MLA too was protesting against the same issue outside Gate no 1 of Jama Masjid with his supporters through mikes. The Imam could not take it and started passing comments on the MLA. This was followed by stone pelting by the Imam's supporters. The supporters of Shoaib Iqbal then retaliated.</b>Â <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Both the groups have blamed each other for the drama. The police had to intervene after the situation went out of control and several persons received injuries.
Even after the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and additional personnel of Delhi Police were deployed in the area supporters of the Imam continued to pelt stones from Jama Masjid.
<b>The police had to use teargas shells to tackle the situation.</b> Police asked everybody to leave the place and not indulge in any violence so that law and order could be maintained. No one was detained till late evening.
<b>Following the whole drama all the shops in the area were closed to maintain peace </b>and the crowd which had gathered at the spot was dispersed.
Meanwhile,<b> security has been beefed up at the Vatican Embassy in New Delhi</b> area after the incident and the ongoing nationwide protest.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Staff Reporter | New Delhi
<b>Supporters of Shahi Imam Ahmad Shah Bukhari, and Matia Mahal Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Shoaib Iqbal pelted stones and hurled abuse at each other in the Jama Masjid on Friday</b>.
The police had to use teargas shells to control the angry mob. The drama continued from afternoon till late evening. More than 10 persons received minor injuries in the whole incident.
<b>The area around Jama Masjid turned into a battlefield on Friday afternoon after the Friday namaaz ended. The Shahi Imam was protesting against Pope Benedict XVI for his comments on Prophet Mohammed and was demanding that he should apologise. </b>
He was making announcements from Jama Masjid. <b>The local MLA too was protesting against the same issue outside Gate no 1 of Jama Masjid with his supporters through mikes. The Imam could not take it and started passing comments on the MLA. This was followed by stone pelting by the Imam's supporters. The supporters of Shoaib Iqbal then retaliated.</b>Â <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> Both the groups have blamed each other for the drama. The police had to intervene after the situation went out of control and several persons received injuries.
Even after the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and additional personnel of Delhi Police were deployed in the area supporters of the Imam continued to pelt stones from Jama Masjid.
<b>The police had to use teargas shells to tackle the situation.</b> Police asked everybody to leave the place and not indulge in any violence so that law and order could be maintained. No one was detained till late evening.
<b>Following the whole drama all the shops in the area were closed to maintain peace </b>and the crowd which had gathered at the spot was dispersed.
Meanwhile,<b> security has been beefed up at the Vatican Embassy in New Delhi</b> area after the incident and the ongoing nationwide protest.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->