Parliament Intruders, Protestors Were Part Of WhatsApp Groups Named After Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad: Report

Police sources according to NDTV revealed on Tuesday (19 December) that the six individuals apprehended in connection with the security violation at Parliament were members of several WhatsApp groups, each named after Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekar Azad.

The defendant, along with fellow group members, routinely engaged in conversations about the ideologies and concepts promoted by the freedom fighters, and they would often exchange related video content, according to those familiar with the investigation.

On 13 December, a significant security violation occurred when two individuals, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D, leapt into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour. They released yellow smoke from canisters and began chanting slogans before they were subdued by MPs.

Simultaneously, two individuals, Amol Shinde and Neelam, discharged colored smoke from containers, loudly protesting with the phrase "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament building.

Besides the four individuals already apprehended, the police have also arrested Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat, who are believed to be the main plotters. They are currently facing charges under the rigorous Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The accused's posts on social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook, revealed a significant inspiration drawn from revolutionary leaders, leading them to attempt to emulate Bhagat Singh's actions in Parliament.

In addition, sources indicate that the police have requested Meta to provide details of all participants in these WhatsApp groups, including their conversations.

Sources indicate that the accused allegedly used the Signals app for planning the security breach and had a meeting in Mysuru, Karnataka the previous year.

An official reported that Manoranjan D, a resident of Mysuru, had covered the travel costs for the group of five.

The authorities are making efforts to acquire replica SIM cards of the four suspects, whose cell phones were reportedly demolished and incinerated by Jha and Kumawat in Rajasthan.

On Saturday, a probe team led by Anish Dayal Singh, the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force, reconstructed the crime scene. This was done in the company of representatives from the Parliament Security and Delhi Police.

The committee is currently conducting an investigation into the causes of the security breach, with the aim of identifying any oversights and proposing subsequent measures. In addition, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police is also examining the case under the provisions of an anti-terrorism law.