CPI(M) demands time-bound, impartial investigation in Jahangirpuri violence case

New Delhi [India], April 18 (ANI): Communist Party of India (Marxist) Politburo member Brinda Karat wrote a letter to the Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana on the Jahangirpuri violence on Monday and demanded a time-bound judicial investigation.
Hitting out at the Delhi Police, Karat asked if those participating in the religious procession were allowed to carry arms.
"These weapons were openly flaunted and brandished during the procession. The police have stated that the procession had police permission. Did the police give permission to carry arms? In fact, the processionists who carried arms had clearly violated the Arms Act which has stringent provisions of imprisonment for such violations," the letter reads.
Blaming the police, Karat said that if adequate police arrangements had been made, such an incident would have been prevented.
Criticizing the police, she said, "If senior officers of the range had ensured due diligence before giving permission for the procession, if adequate police arrangements had been made, if action had been taken against weapon carrying processionists, if the procession had not been allowed to stop in front of the mosque, the incidents would not have taken place."
In her letter, the CPI(M) leader called for action against the police personnel who allegedly allowed the procession to carry weapons and who were responsible for lack of adequate arrangements. She also called for action against those police personnel who allegedly permitted the procession to stop in front of the mosque.
Alleging "one-sided" and "biased" investigation in the case by police personnel, CPI(M) demanded legal action against them.
"You have stated that people from both communities have been arrested. We stand for the arrest and punishment of all those guilty. However, the overwhelming majority of arrests are from the minority community whereas the course of events shows that the main provocations and planning for the incidents was done by the organisation which held the procession an affiliate of the Bajrang Dal as stated by the police," the letter stated.
Earlier, Ravindra Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police, Crime Branch had said that the Delhi Police Crime Branch and the district police are jointly probing the incident.
On this, CPI(M) said, "The Crime Branch to whom the investigation has been handed over is under the overall jurisdiction of the very police force which in the case of the Jehangirpuri incident is responsible. It is for this reason that the CPI(M) has demanded a time-bound judicial inquiry/an impartial investigation. In the meanwhile, we request you to take action against the police responsible."
A total of 23 people have been arrested and two juveniles apprehended in connection with the incident in which nine people, including eight police personnel and a civilian, were injured.
Earlier, an altercation between two groups erupted during a religious procession in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on April 16 that left nine people injured including eight police personnel and a civilian. (ANI)