New Delhi, Jun 16 (IANS): A 2020 Delhi riots accused, evading arrest for the past three years after being involved in a fatal incident, has been arrested by the Delhi Police's Crime Branch, an official said on Friday.

The accused is identified as Mohd. Shahrukh, 28, a resident of Mahalaxmi Enclave, in Karawal Nagar area of east Delhi, and already declared a 'proclaimed offender' by the court, Special Commissioner of Police, Crime, Ravindra Singh Yadav said.

He said that on February 25, 2020, a man named Rahul Solanki, 26, from Babu Nagar, Mustafabad, was admitted to GTB Hospital with a gunshot wound but succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.

A case was registered under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Dayalpur police station and its investigation later transferred to the Special Investigation Team of the Crime Branch upon the direction of the Delhi Police Commissioner.

During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that on February 24, 2020, the rioters had unlawfully gathered near Rajdhani Public School, Babu Nagar Tiraha, armed with firearms, iron rods, stones, and other dangerous weapons.

"The rioters, with a common objective, shouted slogans and used abusive language against a rival community in order to disrupt the communal harmony of the area. They launched attacks on houses and shops, resulting in the death of the victim, Rahul Solanki, due to a gunshot injury," said Yadav.

The police team collected video footage from various CCTV cameras installed near the crime scene, which was then shown to the residents of the area. Additionally, informers were deployed to gather any possible leads about the culprits.

"Finally, the team identified multiple rioters and apprehended eight individuals - Salman, Sonu Saifi, Arif, Anis Qureshi, Sirajuddin, Furkan, Irshad, and Mustqim. However, other individuals involved in the case, namely Kari Zakir, Suleman alias Salman Siddiquie, Mohd. Abdul Rashid, Asif, and Mohd. Shahrukh, were also declared proclaimed offenders," the Special Commissioner said.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the police also arrested Shahrukh from Shiv Vihar Tiraha in the Karawal Nagar area. "Shahrukh, who worked as a carpenter, was actively engaged in the riots along with his associates during the outbreak of violence in North East Delhi," he added.