R-Day Red Fort violence: Two, including Dutch national arrested while trying to flee India
In a fresh development in connection with the Red Fort violence on January 26, the Delhi police have arrested two more people, one of whom was trying to flee the country. Those arrested were identified as Maninderjit Singh and Khempreet Singh. With these arrests, the total number of people arrested in connection with the Red Fort violence has now reached fourteen.
According to the details, Maninderjit Singh is a Dutch national and is settled in UK's Birmingham. He was arrested at the IGI Airport in Delhi, while he was trying to travel outside the country on forged documents. Maninderjit was involved in two criminal cases and a lookout notice was already issued against him.
Another accused, Khempreet Singh had assaulted the police personnel on duty, inside the Red Fort premises. He was absconding and willfully evading arrest.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the sensitivity of Red Fort violence, regular raids are being conducted around the area by various teams of the crime branch.
Red Fort violence: How accused were arrested
Police said accused Maninderjit Singh was involved with the Red Fort violence and video footage have shown his presence alongside the unlawfully assembled unruly riotous mob at Red Fort. This crowd was seen carrying a 'bhaala' (spear) during the farmers' agitation on Republic Day.
During the investigation, an electronic map was also drawn to figure out the possible route taken by the accused to reach Red Fort, which transpired that the accused alongside the unruly mob, started moving from Singhu Border, Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, Burari, Majnu ka Tila and finally reached Red Fort.
Electronic evidence further corroborates the fact that the accused had also visited the Singhu Border protest site on different dates.
Feeling pressurised from the raids being conducted by the teams of Crime Branch at different locations in Punjab and saving his skin from the clutches of law of land, he was trying to flee from India, from IGI Airport on the basis of forged travel documents in the name of an imposter, posing himself as Jarmanjit Singh, son of Shri Mangal Singh, resident of Khabbe Rajputan in Punjab's Gurdaspur.
The second accused, Khempreet, was also actively involved in the Red Fort violence, police said. During the analysis of videos available on the case record, he along with accused his other associates was seen carrying a spear in his hand and assaulting the police personnel on duty.
A massive search was launched for arresting Khempreet. Local informers were also deployed in the vicinity of the available whereabouts of accused Khempreet Singh.
On the basis of the electronic surveillance, Khempreet was arrested on March 9 after his location was traced in the Khayala area, where he was hiding at the residence of one of his relatives.
The information was shared with senior officers, following which a raid was conducted at Khayala and Khempreet was hence arrested.
During investigation Khempreet said on Republic Day, he along with his associates joined the unruly mob (tractor rally) from Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and finally reached Red Fort after breaching the barricades at Burari and Chatta Rail.
Tens of thousands of protesting farmers clashed with the police in the national capital on January 26 during a tractor parade to highlight their demands.
Many of them driving tractors reached the Red Fort and entered the monument, where a religious flag was also hoisted.
Over 500 police personnel were injured and one protestor died.
In the FIR registered in connection with the Red Fort violence, police alleged two magazines with 20 live cartridges were snatched from two constables by protestors who also damaged vehicles and robbed anti-riot gear.
