Attack on Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri was pre-planned: GIA Report

On April 16, 2022, Jahangirpuri, a colony in North-West Delhi, erupted into extreme street violence when the Hanuman Jayanti procession organised by the local Bajrang Dal unit and the Hindu residents of the area came under attack by the Muslim locals of the same area. A Shobha Yatra that had been conducted peacefully for almost 20 years faced stone-pelting and attacks with swords and firearms.

A ground report by the Fact-Finding Team of Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA) has exposed the conspiracy behind Jahangirpuri Violence. The GIA report was released on April 25 2022. Based on ground reports, interactions and testimonies from the affected people, the GIA report exposes the conspiracy behind the Jahangirpuri violence and how the Islamists planned and executed stone-pelting and violence against Hindus leading Shobha Yatra on Hanuman Jayanti.

The GIA report titled ‘Jahangirpuri Violence 2022 The Untold Story’– presents shocking stories of illegal immigrants, demographic stress, radicalisation and illegal encroachments.

The GIA Report accessed by the Organiser details the persons whom the Fact-Finding Team met, the sites visited, along with tracing of the sequence of events. The report provides its detailed findings and recommendations before constructing the sequence of events with dates leading to the Jahangirpuri Violence, in which Hindu processions leading Shobha Yatra were attacked. The report is clear that the violence against Hindus was pre-planned.

“The procession was en route as planned and informed in advance that it will start at around 4.30 pm on April 16 from Jahangirpuri EE Prayas to Babu Jagjeevan Ram ED Block Road to ITI road, BC road, G Block Kushal Chowk and will end at A-ONE auto market. The procession was accompanied by a tableaux,” the GIA said in its report.

The report further stated that the area’s layout is such that there is a Masjid (Jama Masjid) adjoining it, and there are a few houses of the local Muslim community next to a by lane. As soon as the procession neared the Masjid at C Block, Kushal Chowk, stones were pelted at the tableaux from the adjoining houses of the Masjid.

“The stone pelting widened with women, children and men from the adjoining houses near the Masjid premises joining in the attack. Within minutes, a crowd of local Muslim residents (including alleged Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya) wielding swords, lathis, iron rods and some carrying pistols came out from the Kushal cinema by lane. There were chants of ‘Allah hu Akbar’,” the GIA report claimed.

“The Jahangirpuri violence was a pre-planned street rioting by Muslim residents along with Bangladeshis, Rohingya (as informed by local residents) of the area against the Hanuman Jayanti procession. Unlike the fake news and misinformation campaign, there is no evidence of any attack on the local mosque by those involved in the procession. No flag was planted on any mosque in the area,” the fact-finding team stated in its report.

While releasing the findings of the GIA report, Advocate Monika Arora, GIA Convenor, said, “We will tell the truth to India. They (rioters) were not pelting stones at Hindus. They pelted stones at the Idea of India, which is run by the constitution of India. Indian democracy will not tolerate the stones on the constitution. They (rioters) chanted religious slogans and pelted stones from Masjid during the Shobha Yatra.”

While talking to Organiser Advocate, Monika Arora said the area (Jahangirpuri) is densely populated with illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. Jahangirpuri is a ticking time bomb of illegal activity, demographic change and radicalisation. In Jahangirpuri, there are encroachments and illegal activity in the region. A well-established economy operates on illegal constructions, illegal occupation of public land, and illegal trade in this area.

When asked by the Organiser the reasons behind these illegal activities and encroachments, Monika Arora said, “One is vote bank politics over the last 50 years. The local law and order machinery compromises with people who are indulged and run illegal activities in the area as they are being lured with money.”

Shruti Mishra, a member of GIA, told Organiser, “The witnesses told them that the Hanuman Jayanti procession was carried out peacefully in the C-Block area of Jahangirpuri on April 16, and the crowd was provoked by Ansar (the prime accused in the violence) when they were passing by the mosque. Those who were involved in stone-pelting on April 16 were so aggressive that they did not even spare the policemen present at the spot. They also attempted to break the idol of Bhagwan Hanuman.”

“We were taking the Shobha Yatra peacefully, but when the Yatra reached C block masjid, we were stopped by 70-80 Muslims. They attacked us with stones, lathis, glass bottles and burnt our vehicles,” Umashankar, a victim of Jahangirpuri Violence, told Organiser.

“The conspirator of the violence Ansar attacked me on my neck with a sword, their plan was to create havoc similar to Delhi riots 2020,” he added.

While narrating her story, an-old-lady Durga Sarkar, broke down and said, “Police arrested my husband and three sons. It has been ten days, and I haven’t met my family members. I am alone here in Delhi and have no clue what to do.”

The GIA report reveals that the Police and the local administration were intimated and informed in advance about this procession’s date, time, and route. It further reveals that the attack on the Hanuman Yatra was pre-planned. In advance, men, women, and children arranged stones and bottles on the rooftops of houses near Masjid. There was a heavy assembly of crowds armed with stones, petrol bombs, and swords to attack the Hanuman Jayanti procession.

Findings of GIA Report

• On April 16, 2022, a procession to mark Hanuman Jayanti was taken out in Jahangirpuri. This is an annual event that has been taking place in the area for the past 15 -20 years. The organisers of this Hanuman Jayanti Procession were Vishva Hindu Parishad, Delhi Prant.
• The Police and local administration were intimated and informed in advance about this procession’s date, time, and route. When it comes to the normal procedure in religious processions like Tazia processions, etc., Delhi police never gives permission. The police are just informed, and they arrange for the security. Similarly, the police were there on the route of the Yatra. In religious processions, only intimation is given, and the Yatra organisers fulfilled this.
• The procession was en route as planned and was informed in advance that it would start at around 4.30 pm on April 16, 2022, from Jahangirpuri EE Prayas to Babu Jagjeevan Ram ED Block Road to ITI road, BC road, G Block Kushal Road and will end at A-ONE auto market.
• The procession was accompanied by tableaux and devotional songs.
• The layout of the area is such that there is a Masjid (Jama Masjid), adjoining there are a few houses of the local Muslim community adjoining which there is a by lane.
• As soon as the procession neared the Masjid at C Block, Kushal Chowk stones were pelted at the Hanuman Jayanti Tabeleux from the adjoining and other houses of the Masjid.
• The stone-pelting widened with women, children and men from the adjoining houses near the Masjid premises joining in the attack.
• Within minutes a crowd of local Muslim residents (including allegedly Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingyas) wielding swords, Lathis, Iron rods and some carrying pistols came out from the Kushal cinema by lane. There were chants of “Allah hu Akbar” also by them.
• The Hanuman Jayanti procession was attacked, leading to a dangerous street riot.
• Police who tried to control the situation were attacked brutally with stones and swords and were also shot at by the rioters. Sub Inspector Rajeev Ranjan has filed the complaint on which FIR no. 440 of 2020, Police Station Jahangirpuri date 16.04.2022 has been lodged. The FIR states that SI Meda Lal was shot in the right arm, and 6-7 other policemen received grievous injuries (matter under investigation). 12 Local residents have reported that they escaped the violence by running and hiding. Some residents had their vehicles damaged and stolen in the fracas.
• The attack on the Hanuman Yatra was pre-planned. Stones and bottles were arranged on the rooftop in advance, men, women, and children assembled at the rooftops immediately. There was a heavy assembly of crowds armed with stones, petrol bombs, and swords waiting to attack the procession.

Observations and Suggestions of the GIA Report

• The Jahangirpuri violence was pre-planned street rioting by Muslim residents along with Bangladeshis and Rohingya (as informed by local residents) of the area against the Hanuman Jayanti procession on April 16, 2022.
• Unlike the fake news and disinformation campaign being carried out by some media channels, there is no evidence of any attack on the local mosque by those involved in the Hanuman Jayanti procession. No flag was planted on any mosque in the area. The Yatra was simply a procession commemorating Hanuman Jayanti.
• The rioters arranged stones, swords, bottles and pistols in advance and stocked them in the houses.
• The attacking crowd of Muslims comprised local community residents and outsiders. A large number of children were also seen in this crowd. This points to an increasing radicalisation in the area.
• Residential homes around the Masjid, from where the attacks on the Hanuman Jayanti procession started, are built on unauthorised land. This area is Greenland which has been encroached on for building these houses.
• There is a thriving illegal trade in the area. There are illegal Kabad shops and butcher houses set up in the area. There is illegal parking being operated from vacant government lands in the area.
• This is a crime-prone area due to thriving encroachment and illegal trade. The Local Police (in the area) have turned a blind eye to such activities despite constant complaints from the local residents. This area is a no-go zone and extremely unsafe for women. Crimes like chain and purse snatching are very common.
• People are fearful of venturing out after dark. The local residents reported that there is a large influx of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the area. These outsiders settled here over a number of years.
• Stone pelting on local law enforcement has become a part of the lawlessness in the area. On April 18, 2022, Crime Branch officials who went to conduct the investigation in the area were also stoned by women and children. This just goes to establish that the Hanuman Jayanti procession was no instigation and that there is a constant anti-law activity in this area. Any implementation of the Law can invite stone-pelting and danger to authorities’ lives.

Recommendations and Suggestions of the GIA Fact-Finding Report

• We strongly suggest that illegal Bangladeshi/Rohingya immigrants, if any, in the area be identified and deported with immediate effect.
• Immediate action must be taken against Illegal activities, illegal encroachments on vacant lands where the locals/outsiders have stored kabad, operated illegal parking and illegal butcher houses and places from where satta operates.
• We strongly recommend de-radicalization programmes in this area. As pointed out, women and children were involved in stone-pelting on the Hanuman Jayanti procession and on police.
• The role of local Muslims in arranging these pre-planned attacks and the presence of organisations like Jamat-i–Islami in this area must be scrutinised.
• It also needs to be investigated if any Bangladeshi/Rohingya immigrants have managed to get legal citizenship papers/aadhaar cards/passports, etc. Such persons must be identified and deported.
• Local Police have turned a blind eye to all these illegal activities, slums of Bangladeshis/Rohingya, encroachments on roads, vacant lands etc. Law enforcers must act now.
• The Police need to investigate and establish how such a large number of stones and bottles were stored in residential houses on their rooftops in this area.
• Any construction in the area on Government land, whether it be places of worship or residential, be cleared with immediate effect.
• Since the riot model of pre-planned attacks on Hindu processions is being seen across states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh) and especially in Delhi, which saw a large-scale riot in February 2020, a white paper to this effect be shared with residents and society at large. Complete transparency is maintained in investigation and public communication by the agencies involved.
• All illegal shops and trade in this area must be closed.
• Victims of violence must be duly compensated.
• There is a fear amongst Hindu victims, and they are not coming forward to lodge their complaints. They are afraid of local mafia/Muslims in the area, whom they call dabang in the area, and they are afraid of the local police as well, who, according to them, collude with the local mafia.
• Violence on Hanuman Jayanti Processions.
• Founded in 2015, GIA is a group of professional women and entrepreneurs, media persons and academicians committed to social justice and nation-building. The members include Monika Arora, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court, Prof Vijita Singh Aggarwal, Professor, GGS IPU, Ms Sonali Chitalkar, Assistant Professor, Delhi University; Dr Shruti Mishra, Assistant Professor, Delhi University, Ms Monicca Agarwaal, Entrepreneur.