Delhi riots: Locals were against violence, police claim in chargesheet

The conspiracy alleged by the police has formed the core of its investigation into the riots. According to the charge sheet, the conspiracy was centred around three WhatsApp groups.
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24. (File Photo | PTI)
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24. (File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Most residents of the areas in national capital, which saw massive anti-CAA protests and communal violence in February this year, were against any kind of violence but the protesters didn’t paid heed to their requests, the Delhi Police has claimed in the charge sheet filed in the case.

The charge sheet, spread across 11 volumes and 17,000 pages against 15 anti-CAA protesters, reveals the details of the WhatsApp group chats showing some members of these groups against hesitant any kind of violence and urged the other members of ‘The Warrior’ group not to instigate the crowd.

The conspiracy alleged by the police has formed the core of its investigation into the riots. According to the charge sheet, the conspiracy was centred around three WhatsApp groups.

“The choice of sit-in protest sites, in pockets dominated by the Muslim population, their proximity to arterial roads which opened up to locations of mixed populations and the careful distribution of supervisory domains from amongst the core members leaves no doubt that the intent was to create maximum communal strife damage and destruction,” the charge sheet stated.

A WhatsApp message by human rights activist Ovais Sultan Khan on February 24, the day the anti- CAA protesters blocked a road connecting Seelampur to Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar, addressed filmmaker Rahul Roy.

“Rahul Roy sahib, congratulations for accepting to light fires along communal lines in our areas. Today, the friendship from both sides between Maujpur and Jafrabad in last 20- 22 years is breaking. You won’t be affected. Our relationships will end, our friendships will break, we will be at a loss. You are here today, tomorrow somewhere else.

You keep such hate spreading civil society groups. You and those supporting violence should be ashamed. Congratulations to you for such civil society business. Congratulations to you for Rajya Sabha seat,” the message, written in Hindi, reads.

“The mob mentality created by Pinjra Tod has is putting people’s life in danger. What will happen to you? Nothing. After our houses burn down, you will do a solidarity visit and a dharna on Jantar Mantar par. Congrats!” he added. In another WhatsApp group, he wrote, “Because of your fantasies, we the people of Seelampur and trans-Yamuna are in great trouble. All localities are worried.

We still have wounds of 1992, 2006, and recent violence against us by the State where none of you stood with us. Very, very irresponsible behaviour.”

“I would like to tell you that some local people have evidence of what you all were saying last night about your plans of road blockade, your proposal to incite violence,” He cautioned, adding “So, don’t play with fire. This will not hurt you. It will hurt us badly. Our protests will remain nonviolent.”

Communal clashes broke out in northeast Delhi last week of February, claiming lives of at least 53 people and hundreds injured.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com