Delhi: Delhi government’s home department flagged a set of seven video clips to the Delhi Police on October 5, as per the Indian Express report, demonstrating the complicity of some members of the police force in fomenting violence during the riots in the northeast Delhi in February this year.
The role of Delhi Police in the riots and the subsequent investigation has come under severe criticism. Ground reports and fact-finding missions have shown that the Muslim community bore a majority of the brunt of the violence. However, arrests have mostly focused on activists who were part of peaceful anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests, while letting off leaders of the ruling BJP who made inflammatory speeches in the run up to the riots.
The Delhi Police in its response on October 7 said that it had taken action on three of the seven videos, and other videos were being analysed, and a report regarding the same would be submitted in the due course of time after ascertaining location, exact time and date.
One of the videos purportedly shows policemen with arms, batons, and throwing portions of bricks along with rioters at the members of the Muslim community. The video clearly shows the faces of policemen and a police outpost, indicating the location. The Delhi Police said the particular video is being analysed, the Indian Express report pointed out.
In another video, policemen are seen egging on the rioters to charge in the opposite direction, following which both policemen and rioters are seen throwing bricks. The video shows several stores with hoardings and addresses on them. According to the Delhi Police, this video is being analysed as well.
Also read: Exclusive: Delhi Police Blows Cover of Secret Riot ‘Witnesses’, Chargesheet Outs Identities
The third video, which had garnered enough public attention already, show policemen forcing some men, lying down on the road after being hurt, to sing the national anthem. One of the men had been later identified as Faizan (24) and died in the due course of time. A case has been lodged in this connection under Sections 147, 148, 149 and 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Bhajanpura Police Station, the police said in their response, as per the Indian Express report.
The four other videos show a motley group of men making open threats and calling for violence to target the Muslim community. Delhi Police said action had been taken in two of those videos, and two others are being analysed.
The latest videos flagged by the Delhi government indeed lend credence to Amnesty International’s accusations about the alleged collusion of the Delhi Police with rioters. It has urged the Union government to carryout a “prompt, thorough and independent investigation” into allegations against law enforcement officials.
These allegations by Amnesty International are part of its 20-page report released in August this year.