A Delhi court, hearing North East Delhi riots cases, acquitted two accused persons of all charges of unlawful assembly, rioting and arson as the prosecution was unable to establish their presence during the riot.
Watch | Delhi Riots: As Ashok Nagar Mosque Went Up in Flames, So Did Bonds Between Neighbours
One year later, the mosque is still being rebuilt. The window frames are still charred.
Video03/Mar/2021
One year ago, on February 25, a mob made its way to Ashok Nagar, Galli (lane) Number 5, in the early afternoon, shouting the slogan, âJai Shri Ramâ.
The Muslim families in the area locked their doors.
The mob entered a mosque and, still shouting slogans, began to destroy the interiors, tearing up copies of the holy book, shattering glass windows, breaking the furniture.
After the insides of the mosque were destroyed, gas cylinders were tossed inside and the premises set ablaze. In the explosion that followed, a major part of the mosque was laid waste, with gaping holes in the sides of the building where the walls fell.
Just Before Delhi Riots, Militant Hindutva Leader Called Repeatedly for Muslims to be Killed
Militant Hindutva leader Yati Narsnighanand s hate speeches played a crucial role in radicalising the rioters who eventually unleashed a bloodbath in North East Delhi.
File photo of Yati Narasinghnand Saraswati (left), along with Giriraj Singh, minister for animal husbandry in the Modi government. Between them is B.L. Sharma, a former BJP MP. The man in the white shirt and saffron scarf behind them is Deepak Singh Hindu, a close associate of Yati and founder of the Hindu Force , who called on people to assemble at Maujur chowk on February 23, 2020, the day the Delhi riots began.
Before February 25, 2020, Ashok Nagar had little history of communal hatred. Now, a year after the only four Muslim families in the area were attacked by armed mobs shouting ‘Jai Shri Ram’, there is an atmosphere of wariness.