9 Delhi riots victims were forced to shout ‘Jai Shri Ram’: Cops

Accused were part of WhatsApp group ‘Kattar Hindu Ekta’ created against Muslims ■

Some of the rioters used a WhatsApp group to coordinate with each other during the Northeast Delhi riots in February and killed nine Muslims after they refused to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ the Delhi police has alleged in its charge sheets filed in a court here.

The accused were part of a WhatsApp group — Kattar Hindu Ekta — that was created on February 25 to take revenge on Muslims, the charge sheets said, adding that they used it to coordinate with each other and provide men, arms, and ammunition to each other.

The creator of the WhatsApp group is still absconding, the police said in the charge sheets.

The ‘Kattar Hindu Ekta’ group was created on February 25 at 12.49 hrs. Initially, there were 125 members in the group. Out of these, 47 had exited the group by March 8, it said.

The charge sheets were filed before additional chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Kumar Gautam on June 29 for the alleged bludgeoning of nine people — Hamza, Aamin, Bhure Ali, Mursalin, Aas Mohd, Musharraf, Akil Ahmed, and Hashim Ali and his elder brother Aamir Khan — to death.

During investigation, it has been established that a group of Hindus comprising of accused persons Jatin Sharma, Rishabh Chaudhary, Vivek Panchal, Lokesh Solanki, Pankaj Sharma, Prince, Sumit Chaudhary, Ankit Chaudhary, and Himanshu Thakur along with other identified and unidentified rioters became active in Ganga Vihar/Bhagirathi Vihar area since the morning of February 25 to 26 midnight.

They bludgeoned nine Muslims to death and injured several persons in Bhagirathi Vihar and other areas, the police said in the charge sheet.

They used to catch people and ascertain their religion by asking their name, address, and their identity card. They forced them into saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ several times. Anybody who did not say ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and carried a Muslim identity was bluntly attacked and thrown into the main Ganda Nala (dirty drain) at Bhagirathi Vihar, it said.

The court has put up the matter for consideration on July 13.

According to the police report, one of the accused, Lokesh Solanki, on February 25, messaged in the WhatsApp group: Brother Lokesh Solanki this side from Ganga Vihar area. If any Hindu needs any backup then do contact. We have men, arms, and ammunitions. I have just killed two Muslims in Bhagirathi Vihar area and thrown them in the drain with the help of my team.

In the first case, on February 26, one Hamza was killed by the rioters while he was coming from Mustafabad to Bhagirathi Vihar at around 9.15 pm. He was then thrown in the sewage near E Block of Bhagirathi Vihar, the police said.

An FIR was lodged in this regard at Gokalpuri police station in Northeast Delhi on March 3, it added.

In the second case, one Aamin was killed and thrown in the sewerage on February 25 by the rioters near C Block of Bhagirathi Vihar.

In the third case, one Bhure Ali was killed near C Block of Bhagirathi Vihar on February 26.

On February 25, between 4 and 4.30 pm, one Mursalin was killed and thrown in Bhagirathi

Vihar Nala (drain) near Johripur Puliya (bridge) and his scooter was set on fire.

The police said that on February 25, at about 7.30 pm, Aas Mohd was killed by the rioters and thrown in a drain in Bhagirathi Vihar near Johripur Puliya (bridge).

On the same day, at about 8.00 pm, the police said that the rioters cut the electricity and in the dark they attacked the house of Musharraf, grabbed him, and dragged him out into the street and beat him to death before throwing him in the open drain.

Later on February 26, at about 9.30 pm, one Akil Ahmed was killed by the rioters, the police said and added that on the same day at about 9.40 pm one Hashim Ali and his elder brother Aamir Khan was killed by the rioters.

◗THE ‘KATTAR Hindu Ekta’ group was created on February 25 at 12.49 hrs. Initially, there were 125 members in the group. Out of these, 47 had exited the group by March 8. Accused used this group to coordinate with each other and provide men, arms, and ammunition to each other