Title - MUMBAI VIOLENCE : Police probes underworld link

Mumbai: The criminal backgrounds of several youths arrested in connection with Saturday's violence in downtown Mumbai has turned the spotlight on the possible involvement of the underworld in the incident, police sources said today.The questioning of several youths, who were picked up for indulging in violence on Saturday, has revealed that many of them had police records. Some of them had even been convicted for petty crimes in the past, the police said.In fact, one of the youths who was shot by the police had been barred from entering Mumbai for indulging in anti-social activities.The police said that many of the youths who attended the rally from distant parts of Mumbai and its outskirts had come with an intention of indulging in violence.“Many of them came armed with chains, pipes, stones and crude weapons,” said a police official of the Azad Maidan police station.Security officials posted at railway stations who had seen the youths travel by train had even warned their superiors, but nothing came of it, said sources.On Sunday, Crime Branch officers probing the matter were also told that several youths were seen moving around with bottles of petrol and other inflammable liquids. But police personnel, who were clearly outnumbered by those gathered at the protest site, chose to keep mum, said sources.Investigators have now picked up young men from areas as far away as Mumbra on the outskirts of the city, the police said.

WAS IT PRE-PLANNED?

Questioning of several youths has revealed that many of them had police records Some of them had even been convicted for petty crimes in the past, the police said They came 'armed with chains, pipes, stones and crude weapons', bottles of petrol and other inflammable liquids Some ammunition stolen from policemen has also been recovered from the Mumbra neighbourhood in Mumbai