Delhi Court Frames Charges Against 25 in Constable's Death During 2020 Riots
A Delhi court has ordered the framing of charges against 25 individuals involved in the violent events of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, specifically related to the death of Head Constable Ratan Lal. These charges include murder, arson, and dacoity. The court emphasized that the accused had planned and executed violent acts, including attacking police forces, with the intent to disrupt public order. It also noted that the protesters were armed and had premeditated their actions, using violence to assert their opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Ratan Lal was killed during an attempt by police to disperse a riotous mob blocking a key road. His postmortem revealed he had suffered 24 injuries, including a firearm wound, which was sufficient to cause his death. The court also criticized arguments from the defense that the accused were exercising their constitutional rights to protest, stating that violence was never part of such rights. The matter is set to be revisited on December 3 for formal charge framing.