Hindus incited on Whatsapp group to attack Muslims

NEW DELHI: During the riots in North East Delhi on February 25, a group of men created a Whatsapp group — Kattar Hindut Ekta — and asked all Hindu residents to attack Muslims, according to Delhi Police’s charge sheet filed in a city court on Tuesday.

Police said the charge sheet is related to FIR No 102/20 registered at the Gokalpuri police station in connection with the murder of Hamza, who is referred to by a single name in the police records, who was among the nine Muslim men whose bodies were recovered from the Bhagirathi Vihar drain on February 25 and 26. Police arrested nine men, Lokesh Solanki, Pankaj Sharma, Sumit Chaudhary, Ankit Chaudhary, Prince, Jatin Sharma, Rishab Chaudhary, Vivek Panchal, and Himanshu Thakur. The nine are currently in jail.

Police said that the administrator of the Whatsapp group -initially there were 125 members -- brought together other rioters. The charge sheet also mentions that on February 26, at 11.39 pm, Solanki posted a message where he claimed that he and his “team” could come from “Ganga Vihar” and that they had “arms and ammunition.” Ganga Vihar adjoins Bagirathi Vihar.

According to the charge sheet, Solanki’s second message at 11.44 pm claims that he and his team have killed “two Muslims” and thrown their bodies in the drain. The court is yet to take cognisance of the charge sheet and the arrested persons are yet to reply through the lawyer.