In recent news, former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid has been arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged role in the north-east Delhi riots.
“Khalid was one of the main conspirators of riots in which 53 persons died and over 400 were injured,” special cell of Delhi Police said to media after the arrest.
According to the police, Khalid had planned the riots with former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain. Tahir Hussain is the main accused of killing Ankit Sharma who was an officer of the Intelligence Bureau. Khalid will be produced before a Delhi court today.
As soon as the news of Umar Khalid’s arrests broke out Indian celebrities Swara Bhaskar, Prakash Raj, controversial comedian Agrima Joshua among others, came out in support of Khalid, demanding his release. Soon after Khalid’s arrest, #StandWIthUmarKhalid started trending on Twitter.
On the other hand, Dr SQR Ilyas, national president of Welfare Party of India, and Khalid’s father, said that his son was implicated in Delhi riots. Taking to Twitter, he wrote, “My son Umar Khalid has been arrested tonight at 11:00 pm by Special Cell, Delhi Police under UAPA. Police was questioning him since 1:00 pm. He has been implicated in Delhi Riots. #StandWithUmarKhalid.”
In February 2016, Umar Khalid was arrested on charges of sedition too, for allegedly shouting anti-India slogans inside the JNU campus along with former student union president Kanhaiya Kumar and others.
AAP councillor who was suspended on August 3rd, had reportedly admitted to his crime and revealed that he was given the task to collect as much glass bottle, petrol, acid, stones as possible during the violence.
In February 2020, Communal violence took place in Delhi between anti-CAA and pro-CAA protesters. Hundreds of people were detained in connection with the violence. According to media reports, Umar Khalid had allegedly given provocative speeches at two different places in Delhi and asked people to come out on the streets and block roads during the visit of US President Donald Trump.
