Police file 7 chargesheets against 39 accused for alleged murder of locals

NEW DELHI: On Tuesday the Delhi Police filed seven chargesheets before a court in cases of the alleged murder of locals during the communal violence in north-east Delhi in February, naming a total of 39 accused, which included 16 Hindus and 25 Muslims, as per a senior police officer.

The Crime Branch of the Delhi police submitted the chargesheets before Metropolitan Magistrate Vijayshree Rathore in connection with the riots that broke out when supporters and those against the Citizenship Amendment Act clashed. Police added that all the incidents of alleged murder took place on February 25 during peak rioting.

In the murder case of one Anwar, who was allegedly shot dead by the mob and later his body was burnt inside his house, five persons were arrested, he said. On the same day, one Aftab was allegedly killed by the mob and three people were arrested in the case, he added.

Aftab (22) allegedly had sustained 16 grievous injuries on his body and his body was then dumped in a drain, police said. He further said that the third chargesheet was filed in connection with the murder of Babu who was also allegedly assaulted by the rioters and 16 people were arrested in the case. The fourth chargesheet was filed in the case of the alleged murder of Salman (24), who was shot in the head, police said and added that three people have been named as accused in the case. Vir Bhan (40) had died after receiving bullet injuries in the Karawal Nagar area and four people have been chargesheeted in the case, said the police.

Alok Tiwari (32) and Dinesh (35) had died after they were allegedly attacked by the violent mob on February 25 and four people were arrested in each of the cases, he said.

The chargesheets were filed under various sections of the IPC including 147 and 148 (rioting), 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 149 (unlawful assembly) and 34 (common intention).the offence of murder entails a maximum punishment of death penalty. Communal clashes had broken out in north-east Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.