CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat, called attention to inaccuracies in the police account of those who were killed in the communal violence in Delhi in February.

In a letter to S N Srivastava, Delhi Commissioner of Police, on October 15, she highlighted that the police have, in various public statements and affidavits to the court, stated that the number of killed was 53 and omitted the name of one Sikander, son of Md Mullak.

Brinda Karat said that Sikander was killed on February 27, the day of violence and in his inquest papers stated “alleged history of being found in unconscious state below flyover Khajuri chowk on 27/2 at 11.30 am following which the individual was brought to GTB (illegible) where he was declared brought dead..”.

“However, he was not identified till March 19 by his brother Md Ishfaque.  After the identification, the original DD as unknown DD 39 A dated 27/2 was registered on 19/3 under the name of Sikander. In other words, in police records, Sikander has been identified as victim, by name on 19/3,” Brinda Karat wrote to the CP. She added that the postmortem report shows that he died of serious head injuries.

She said that Sikander’s brother Md Ishfaque has made numerous visits to the Khajuri Khas police station to ask for a copy of the FIR. However he has been told that no FIR has been filed. One of the police personnel reportedly said that “the compensation will be managed” and his name “adjusted” in the list.

She said that Sikander’s family has been through terrible trauma and that Ishfaque’s shop in Bhajanpura was burnt and looted. His sister’s home in Ghonda was attacked and looted and the youngest sibling Sikander was killed.

“Instead of treating the family with sympathy, the Delhi police by not registering Sikander as a victim, has worsened their plight,” she said and sought the CP’s immediate intervention.

She also sought the police to correct the list of numbers of the victims killed in the violence to 54 by adding Sikander’s name to it and provide a copy of the FIR to Sikander’s family. She also demanded action against those police personnel responsible for the inaccuracy and harassment of the victim’s family.