India: Vishwa Hindu Sena activists disrupt Delhi meeting - candle light vigil on Ishrat Jahan's fake encounter

Indian Express

Six held for bid to disrupt Ishrat kin meeting in Capital
: Sun Jul 07 2013, 01:27 hrs

Six activists of the little-known Vishwa Hindu Sena (VHS) were taken into preventive custody after they tried to disrupt a condolence meeting organised in the memory of Ishrat Jahan, a 19-year-old who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Gujarat.

The meeting was organised by NGO Anhad and representatives of the 'Justice for Ishrat Jahan campaign' at the Constitution Club on Saturday evening.

The activists have been identified as Vishnu Gupta, president of the VHS, Pinki Choudhary, Raghav Shiv Kuwar, Shyam Sharma, Mahesh Kumar Prajapati and Parbhat Chaudhary.

"A condolence meeting-cum-press briefing was organised by NGO Anhad and attended by left leaders including Brinda Karat at the Constitution Club. Vishwa Hindu Sena activists had gained entry into the hall as it was open to the public but we had our deployment in plain clothes and in uniform. The moment the function began, these persons tried to create a ruckus but we overpowered and arrested them," Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) SBS Tyagi said.

A representative of the 'Justice for Ishrat Jahan campaign' said around 20 VHS activists entered the hall around 3.30 pm, much before the function started. They started shouting slogans and created a ruckus. A PCR call was made and the activists were thrown out."

A case has been registered at the Parliament Street police station under relevant sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Ishrat's sister Mussarrat, mother Shamima Kauser and uncle Rafulullah were present at the condolence meeting. Representatives of the campaign said Mussarrat described how Ishrat was the sole breadwinner for the family and had little time for other things.

Rafulullah said after Ishrat's death, the family had been hounded.