The Delhi Police, investigating the Parliament security breach, has made four arrests in connection with the case. One has been detained and the sixth accused is still at large.
The suspects were reportedly a gang of six members who carried out the breach with meticulous planning. While two persons -- Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D -- jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during Zero Hour and released yellow gas from canisters, two others -Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi -- sprayed coloured gas from canisters shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament premises.
The fifth accused Vishal Sharma has been detained along with his wife. The sixth accused Lalit Jha, who recorded Shinde and Neelam Devi, is reportedly absconding. There are also unconfirmed reports that Jha sent a video of the incident to his NGO partner.
Though all of them hail from different states, police claim they were all associated with the social media page 'Bhagat Singh Fan Club'. "They also shared the same ideology and hence decided to give a message to the government. The security agencies are trying to ascertain if they were instructed by anyone or any organisation," police said.
"Everyone met in Mysore about one-and-a-half years ago. Sagar came from Lucknow in July but could not enter the Parliament House. On December 10, everyone reached Delhi from their respective states. They gathered near India Gate," ANI quoted unnamed sources.
The security breach at Parliament
Sagar Sharma
Sagar Sharma, the prime accused, hails from Uttar Pradesh and is a school dropout. He was said to be driving an e-rickshaw in Lucknow. Son of a carpenter, Sharma was reportedly well-read and active in protests all over the state. He informed his family about leaving for Delhi to attend a protest but did not divulge it was the Parliament breach.
"We met through a protest organised by a student wing of a group and I was amazed by his knowledge, though he studied only till Class 12," Sagar Sharma's friend told Hindustan Times on conditions of anonymity. "He was very active in political movements and I would see him at every protest in the city," he added.
Manoranjan Devarajegowda
Hailing from Mysuru, it was Manoranjan who managed to get a pass to enter the Parliament via Mysuru MP Pratap Simha MP. He is said to be an engineering graduate helping his father in agriculture. Manoranjan's father Deveraje Gowda claims he had no clue how his son got the visitor's pass and said the family was on good terms with the MP. "What my son has done today is a wrongful activity. I would support him if he did something right. He must be hanged if it is proved that he has done any illegal activity that harms the society," he told reporters.
Neelam Devi
Another accused Neelam Devi, who hails from Haryana, was seen spraying coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside Parliament premises. According to her family, she was unemployed even after being highly educated. She had an M.Phil degree and had also cleared NET which is mandatory to get a teaching job.
"She is highly qualified but wasn't getting a job. She was so stressed because of this that she often used to say that I should just die as despite studying so much, I am unable to earn two meals," her mother Saraswati told reporters. Neelam is also said to have been actively involved in farmer's protests and anti-CAA agitation.
While being taken away by police personnel, Neelam told reporters, "The Indian government is subjecting us to oppression. When we raise our voices for our rights, we are beaten and thrown in jail. We are subjected to undue force. We do not belong to any organisation. We are students and we are unemployed. Our parents work as labourers, and farmers and some are small shopkeepers. An attempt is being made to suppress our voices. Dictatorship will not work," she said.
Amol Shinde
Amol Shinde is a resident of Maharasthra's Latur. Unemployed, he was preparing for the army and police recruitment examinations. He had told his father, daily wage labourer Dhanraj Shinde, that his frequent travels to Delhi were for these exams.
Shinde visited Delhi three times in the last few months. Investigators now believe that at least one of these trips was a reconnaissance mission for the events on Tuesday. "He left home on December 9, and on the 10th, called us from his friend's mobile phone number. Since then, his phone was not reachable," the father said.
Shinde has told police that he bought at least five colour smoke canisters from Maharashtra's Kalyan at a price of around Rs 1,200. He also told investigators they were upset with issues like the farmers' protest, Manipur crisis and unemployment and that's why they carried out this act.
Vishal Sharma
Vishal Sharma earlier worked as a driver in an export company but of late he drove an autorickshaw. His neighbours claimed that he was a drunkard and often quarrelled with his wife. Police have also detained Vishal's wife and her possible role in the incident was being probed, an official said.
Lalit Jha
Not much is known about Jha, who is still absconding. There are reports that he is a teacher and closely associated with an NGO.
