'Need Stricter Laws on Provocative Speeches': Father of Minor Killed During 2020 Delhi Riots

The families of the victims who lost their lives during the 2020 Delhi Riots have welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to deny bail to the prime accused, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.

In an interview with Republic, Ram Sugarath Paswan, father of 14-year-old victim Nitin Kumar, said he welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court. Nitin died during the riots after being struck by a bullet.

"Those who incited the riots must not be released. We need restrictions on provocative speeches that fuel communal violence," Paswan said.

Recalling the horrific day that claimed his minor son’s life, the bereaved father narrated the sequence of events: "He left the house at around 2:00–2:30 pm on February 26. He told us he was going out to buy chowmein. Within 100 metres of the house, he was hit in the head by a tear gas canister fired by the police."

Elaborating further, he said, "I kept searching for him, but nobody told me anything. I got tired of looking. Then someone said the police had been there and someone had been hit. I didn't find my son at the spot, so I went to the police station, but they had no information. Finally, I went to the hospital and found him there. The police had admitted him there. He was critically injured. I was with him for two or three hours before he passed away. Two-three days later, I received his body and cremated it."

Regarding the denial of bail for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, Paswan stated, "The ones involved in causing riots should not be released. But I also don't want clashes between Hindus and Muslims. The guilty must be punished."

"I want stricter laws for people making provocative statements. Such statements lead to violence and people get killed," he added.

The Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a case pertaining to an alleged "larger conspiracy" behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots. However, the Court granted bail to other accused individuals, including Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.

The Court noted that Khalid and Imam stand on a "qualitatively different footing" regarding both the prosecution's claims and the evidence presented. It observed that their roles were "central" to the alleged offences. The Court further remarked that while their period of incarceration has been long, it does not violate the Constitutional mandate or override the statutory embargoes under current laws.

Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others were arrested in 2020 under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The violence, which erupted during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.