India West Delhi Communal Clash Leaves 25 Injured

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West Delhi Communal Clash Leaves 25 Injured

by Dipankar Ghose & Sahlini Narayan

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/west-delhi-communal-clash-leaves-25-injured/1155991/


A communal clash between Sikhs and Valmikis erupted in West Delhi's Tilak Vihar on Thursday, leaving at least 25 injured, including five policemen. Three of the injured have gunshot wounds but police denied opening fire and claimed they only used water cannons, lathis and teargas shells to break up the clash.

The three men with gunshot wounds were identified as Mohar Singh, Sunny Singh and Raghunath. They are being treated at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital. One of them was shot in the neck while another was hit in the abdomen.

Three of the injured policemen are said to have head injuries. Seven police vehicles, including that of the district ACP, were damaged in the violence.

Sunny Singh (23), who owns a bangle shop in the area, alleged, "My friends and I had gathered to see what was happening. There was stone-pelting and the police opened fire. I was running away when the police shot at me."

The clashes broke out around 2 pm next to the Tilak Vihar police chowki. The chowki was vandalised by the rioters. One group targeted the chowki, claiming that the police were supporting the other side.

It's unclear what started the violence because there were conflicting versions. "Trouble began after some men began performing stunts on motorcycles in the area," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.

According to eyewitnesses, a heated argument between members of the two communities led to the clash. "We don't know what started the argument. While some claimed a minor accident started it, others claimed the argument was over flying kites. Suddenly, some men began pelting stones," an eye-witness alleged.

An hour after the police brought the situation under control, members of both the communities continued to trade charges.

Chaman Singh, member of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, alleged, "The Valmikis were armed with knives and guns. There was stone-pelting from both sides. The Valmikis entered our houses and began attacking people. They tried to burn our vehicles and the police outpost. There was also firing by the police.

 

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August 15 Tilak Vihar Violence led by local Congress leaders – Sikh body, AISSF, demands inquiry
By Parmjit Singh

http://www.sikhsiyasat.net/2013/08/...ress-leaders-sikh-body-aissf-demands-inquiry/


New Delhi, India (August 16, 2013): Condemning the August 15 violence against the Sikh population of Tilak Vihar and the attack on the family of US based plaintiff, All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) demanded inquiry by sitting Supreme Court Justice to investigate the role of police and political leaders. While Several Sikhs were injured as a result of police firing on the Sikhs, Mohinder Singh, the US based plaintiff’s family living in Tilak Vihar was especially targeted as their house was pelted with stones and their vehicles were burnt by the mob under the Delhi police watch.

Mob indulged in stone pelting at Sikh houses at Tilak Vihar in Delhi (August 15, 2013) | Photo Source: Sikh Channel’s Video Coverage

AISSF is demanding an Inquiry into the systematic attack on the Sikh community of Tilak Vihar from the Supreme Court Justice as the authorities are already trying to portray the August 15 incident as “communal violence” between the two communities while in fact police and the attackers only aimed the Sikh community.

AISSF demanded that since the attackers were lead by local Congress leader Satya Narain and Pankaj and Deepak Tentwala, who incited the mob to attack Sikh community and burn down their property, an FIR should be filed for against these political activists for inciting violence against Sikhs.

While talking to the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) AISSF president Karnail Singh Peermohammad said since November 1984, there has been a trend of covering up the organized violence against religious minorities as “communal riots”. Just like in the case of November 1984, evidence and eye witness accounts clearly shows that on August 15 Tilak Vihar’s Sikh community was specifically targeted and attacked and it was not a random “communal violence”.

According to Karnail Singh Peermohammad, President AISSF, a fair and impartial investigation by the Supreme Court Justice will reveal that the police and political leaders were involved in targeting the Sikh population of Tilak Vihar. The Sikh community is still fighting to get justice for the November 1984 killings and August 15 attack is yet another reminder of denial of justice to Sikhs, added Peermohammad.

Mohinder Singh is plaintiff in a case pending before the US Federal Court in New York against the ruling Congress Party of India for its role in organizing and perpetrating violence against Sikhs during November 1984.