7 arrested for setting ablaze three shelter homes in Delhi Kashmere Gate

Seven people have been arrested for allegedly setting ablaze three shelter homes near Kashmere Gate, police officials said on Sunday. A fire broke out at the shelter homes near Kashmere Gate around 6 pm on Saturday following which five fire tenders were rushed to the spot and they managed to douse the flames.

Officials said that no one got injured in the incident. Police had on Saturday stated that six people were arrested in connection with the incident, but later revised the figure to seven. A case was registered for rioting, assault on public servant and damage to public property, a senior police official said, adding the seven arrested have been sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The people who were staying at the shelter home have been shifter to other facilities. According to the police, those arrested were among the people who created ruckus earlier on Saturday over the death of a man who stayed in one of the shelter homes. The man had allegedly jumped into the Yamuna on river Friday after he, among others, was asked to maintain social distance while standing in a queue for getting food.

A body was fished out from the river on Saturday morning by the people living in shelter homes. They claimed that it was the body of the man who jumped into the river on Friday, police said. A day before the fire incident, the residents at the shelter and civil defence volunteers had clashed over "food distribution", they added.