New Delhi:
Delhi Police on Saturday received nearly 4,500 calls till 6 PM as cash-strapped people standing in long queues outside banks and ATMs resorted to violence in some parts of the city.
"We received over 4,000 calls today. There were sporadic incidents of violence reported from the city but there were no reports of any grievous injury," said Sanjay Beniwal, Special Commissioner of Police (Operations).
Police said a case of stone pelting at IDBI bank in Roop Nagar was reported and one person was arrested.
At 12 noon, Imran (44), who had already withdrawn money from the bank once, tried to go inside again and was stopped by a security guard, they said.
He got into a scuffle with the guard and called six-seven other men who resorted to stone pelting, police said.
Imran is a resident of Malkaganj and was arrested from the spot, police said, adding they are scanning the CCTV footage from the bank to identify the other accused.
Also read: Currency exchange: Long queues, dry ATMs add to woes of people across country
"No one was reported to be injured in stone pelting. The bank operations resumed after few hours," said a senior police official.
He said a case under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) IPC has been registered against the accused.
There were dime a dozen rumours floating about incidents of violence even as Twitter added more fuel to fire, police sources said.
A purported video from Metro Mall in Seelampur area of northeast Delhi went viral where people were "plundering goods" and police had to intervene.
Ajit Singla, DCP (Northeast) said, "The reports of miscreants taking away stocks from a mall in Seelampur area are false and baseless. It is a self-catering Mall which allows entry to card holders only and routine disbursal of stocks was being done."
He said some mischievous elements tried to show it as looting but local police intervened immediately and removed the miscreants.
"No complaint of looting received. Regular operations are being carried out in all market places in Delhi. Strict action as per law is being taken any such rumour mongering," he said.
