Delhi Court Orders Action Against Police Officer for Hate Crime

A Delhi court has mandated action against a police officer for involvement in a “hate crime” related to the 2020 riots, which resulted in over 50 deaths, predominantly among the Muslim community, Anadolu Agency reported. Judicial Magistrate Udbhav Kumar Jain stated that the officers at Jyoti Nagar Police Station engaged in hate crimes against the victim, Mohammad Waseem.

Waseem reported being assaulted by police while searching for his mother during the riots. He alleged that after falling while fleeing the violence, he was beaten and forced to sing the national anthem along with other injured individuals.

The court has directed the police to appoint a responsible officer to investigate the incident and the roles of other officials involved. The riots, which erupted on February 23, 2020, coincided with then-US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, leading to significant destruction and financial losses estimated in the billions of US dollars.