Still stunned with the ease in which Parliament’s security comprising four visible and two invisible layers of security was breached by four untrained youth with no previous crime record on December 13, investigators probing the intrusion are yet to categorically assign an irrefutable motive even as a sixth person was arrested by Delhi Police on Saturday.
The arrested, Mahesh Kumawat was also in Delhi on the day the massive breach of Parliament took place which incidentally was the 22nd anniversary of the Parliament attack by Pakistan-supported Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists that killed nine people.
The breach was also very glaring in view of warnings issued a few days ago by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a US-based Sikh separatist and proponent of Khalistan, who threatened to “shake the very foundation of Parliament” on December 13.
Kumayat’s name popped up when the main mastermind behind the intrusion into the brand new Parliament—Lalit Jha—was found to have fled to Rajasthan with him to seek refuge. It was the latter who was instrumental in the destruction of the mobile phones of the four persons who were nabbed by the police on December 13.
Kumawat has now been sent to seven-day police custody after hours of intense interrogation by Delhi Police. He was in Delhi on the day of the intrusion.
About 1 pm on Wednesday, when the Zero Hour was in progress in the Lok Sabha, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D. leaped down from the visitors’ gallery into the floor of the House and exploded coloured smoke canisters, spreading shock and panic. Their parliamentary passes had been signed by BJP MP from Mysuru, Pratap Simha.
At the same time, just outside the Parliament complex, Amol Shinde and Neelam, sprayed more coloured smoke.
The group were also shouting slogans—‘tanashahi nahi chalegi’ (dictatorship won’t be allowed), ‘Jai Bhim’ (Victory to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar) and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ (Victory to Mother India).
The charges on the four—Sagar Sharma (26), Manoranjan D (34), Amol Shinde (25) and Neelam Devi (37)—include severe anti-terror charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act besides charges of criminal conspiracy, trespass, wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot, obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions and assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duties under provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
On Saturday, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla also wrote to all parliamentarians about the setting up of a high-level committee to probe the breach. The committee will also assess the entire security aspect of the Parliament complex and look into ways in which such incidents are prevented and thwarted in future.