Injured during February 25 northeast Delhi violence, Gokulpuri ACP, Anuj Kumar, who has now been discharged from the hospital, in an exclusive conversation with India TV, narrated how he, his team bravely faced the violent mob when riots were taking place in Delhi. ACP Anuj Kumar also recalled how along with his team they managed to save the life of Shahdara DCP Amit Sharma who was critically injured in the violence.
Narrating his ordeal, Anuj Kumar said, peaceful protests near Jaffrabad were going on for several days but there was no anticipation that it will turn into violence in future. He said on February 25, protesters started gathering near the signature bridge that connects Delhi to Ghaziabad where he was present with his staff and DCP Amit Sharma.
Slowly-Slowly, people in large numbers started gathering near Charbagh in Wazirabad area. We requested them not to come on the main road as it will block traffic and appealed them to contain their protest till the service road only, ACP Anuj Kumar said.
While the police was trying to control the protesters, somebody from them started pelting stones. Since there was construction work going around, some of them had already got stones with them while some picked stones from the construction site. Protesters turned violent and started pelting stones targeting the force, which also injured two police officers including DCP Amit Sharma and another cop Ratan Lal, Anuj informed.
"My attention went towards DCP... he was bleeding, concern was to evacuate people, my staff, and the DCP... so we rushed towards Yamuna vihar..."
We might have got lynched by the violent mob: ACP Anuj Kumar
Since the protesters turned violent, ACP Anuj Kumar said, we were heavily outnumbered compared to the violent mob, and if we would have proceeded towards them, the probability was that we might have got lynched.
Couldn't fire as distance between us and violent mob was barely 15-20 meters
ACP Anuj Kumar said they couldn't open fire as the distance between them and a violent mob was barely 15-20 meters and also that they were too less in strength compared to the protesters.
ACP Kumar further said that they were being continuously hit by protesters who were pelting stones... somehow managed to reach a nursing home but since DCP's and Ratan Lal were critical, they stopped a private vehicle and rushed them towards GTB... but they were not able to revive Ratan, then they further rushed towards Max hospital.
ACP Anuj Kumar emphasized that people gathered out in large numbers and the situation went out of control when mob turned violent.
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