Violence that took place in December 2019 connected to incident in February 2020: Delhi Police
Jul 14, 2020
New Delhi [India], July 15 : Delhi Police on Tuesday, in a chargesheet filed in Delhi violence case related to the killing of Head Constable Ratan Lal, mentioned that the violence that took place in December last year in Jamia has a connection with other violence in various places of the national capital, including Chand Bagh in February this year.
The Delhi Police further said that they are probing the role of Jamia Co-ordination committee's Safoora Zargar and the report regarding it will be filed later through a supplementary chargesheet.
The Crime Branch of Delhi Police statement came in the chargesheet filed in north-east Delhi's Chand Bagh violence.
"During the investigation of the case by Special Cell, it has been found that the riots that took place in December have a connection with riots that later took place in various parts of Delhi including the riot at Chand Bagh," read the chargesheet.
"The Jamia Co-ordination committee had managed all the protest sites to achieve its objective and every site was being supervised/handled by the members of JCC. During the investigation it has been found that JCC representative namely Safoora was looking after the Chand Bagh Mazar site and had played an important role in instigating the protestors," it further read.
The chargesheet added that Safoora was arrested by Special Cell in a separate FIR.
"Role of Safoora in the present case is further being probed and a report regarding the same shall be filed through supplementary charge sheet," the police said in its chargesheet which pertains to the death of HC Ratan Lal as a result of rioting which took place on main Wazirabad Road Chand Bagh.
As a precursor to the violence on February 24, on February 23 a march was started from Chand Bagh to Rajghat without any permission.
"Accused persons Salim Khan, Salim Munna, Suleman Siddiqui, Athar and Safoora and others were the main instigators who had started the march. The conspirators were well aware of the state visit of President of USA Donald Trump to India and intervening days were deliberately used to foster trouble with the intent not only to malign the nation's image but also to grab maximum local and international media attention," the police said.
"However, the march was not allowed and the protestors were stopped on which the protesters led by the instigators sat on the main Wazirabad Road, and traffic was blocked for several hours causing extreme inconvenience to lakhs of commuters," the police added.
The Delhi Police further said: "They were able to block the main roads of North-East District. Subsequently, on the night of February 23 the accused persons along with other organisers, conspirators and rioters convened a meeting at Chand Bagh and asked the residents to equip themselves with iron rods, sticks, petrol bombs, etc for the next day."
"On February 24, at around 1 pm as per plan the riots erupted and the protesters attacked the police personnel. Numbers of police personnel were injured and HC Ratan Lal was killed," the chargesheet said.
The Delhi Police has chargesheeted 17 accused persons in the case under various charges dealing with murder and criminal conspiracy and under provisions of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
