WhatsApp group created during peak rioting, few members were active rioters

The investigation into the rioting incident in Northeast Delhi's Bhagirathi Vihar has revealed that a WhatsApp group was formed on the intervening night of February 25 and 26, a day before four bodies were fished out of Bhagirathi Vihar and Johripur drains.

New Delhi:After facing flak for selective investigation, the Crime Branch SIT investigating cases relating to the northeast Delhi riots is all set to file two fresh charge sheets in connection with the killing of four Muslims and dumping of their bodies in a drain in Gokulpuri.

"During the investigation of these cases, it was found that during the peak rioting, a Whatsapp group was created on the intervening night of 25-26 February 2020, which had 125 members...it was also revealed that while some members of these groups were only sending and receiving chats, few others were involved in active rioting," the police said.

In the fresh charge sheet, 20 Hindus have been named as accused of killing four Muslims during the riots and subsequently throwing their corpses in drains of northeast Delhi's Gokulpuri.

Out of the four deceased, Amir Ali and Hashim Ali were brothers and were killed between 9:00-10:00 p.m. on February 26. This was after intensive clashes in the Johripur area on February 25 and 26, three bodies were found and subsequently another body was recovered from a drain in Johripur.

Three FIRs were registered in this regard and the investigation was handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Delhi Police's Crime Branch which later on the basis of eyewitness accounts and technical evidence arrested 9 persons for the murder of Hashim Ali while 11 others were nabbed for killing his brother.

Meanwhile, the Crime Branch will also file another charge sheet in connection with murder of an employee of a sweet shop near Shivpuri's Rajdhani School, who died after he was stuck there and the school was torched by rioters.

12 accused persons were arrested on the basis of the eyewitness accounts, available CCTV footage, Call Detail Records (CDRs) and other technical evidence.

"The available CCTV footages were collected, as most of the CCTV cameras in the close proximity had been destroyed by the rioters. The CDRs of witnesses and suspects were analysed and on the basis of eyewitness accounts and technical evidences, 12 accused persons were arrested in the present case," the police said.

The case relates to the death of Dilbar Negi who used to work at Anil Sweets shop and on the fateful day he had gone to the godown for taking lunch and rest. He could not be located till late night on February 25.

In the afternoon of February 26, the local police of Police Station Gokulpuri came to know about the dead body of a male person at the godown of Anil Sweets. The body was found in a charred condition and later identified as Dilbar Negi.

The rioting mob targeted the properties of Hindus including the said shop, a book shop, DRP School and godown of Anil Sweets and others by torching them and the mob of the same rioters remained active till late night, the police said.

In the meantime one Rahul Solanki of Mahalaxmi Enclave was also shot dead in the late evening. In the close proximity, as many as 12 cases of rioting, arson and murder were registered at Gokulpuri and Dayalpur police stations.

IANS REPORT