5 Accused In Delhi Violence Charged Under Stringent National Security Act

The tough anti-terror law that empowers the government to detain a person for months without formal charges

Five of the accused in the clashes at Delhi's Jahangirpuri on Saturday have been charged under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows detention up to a year without any charge.

On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had dialled Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana and had called for strict action in the violence in northwest Delhi two days ago in which many, including policemen, were injured.

Twenty-four people, including three juveniles, have been arrested till now. Of them, five have been charged under the tough anti-terror law that empowers the government to detain a person for months without formal charges, according to sources.

"The Home Minister was very categorical and asked them not to make any mistake while probing the matter," said a senior official from the Home Ministry, referring to the backdrop of communal violence in Delhi in February 2020, during anti-citizenship law protests.