New Delhi: Yesterday’s parliament security breach led to the arrest of four individuals, Sagar Sharma and D Manoranjan caught inside the Lok Sabha, while Neelam Devi and Amol Shinde were apprehended outside. They have been placed in police custody for seven days for thorough questioning, following their involvement in the incident where two men, Sharma and Manoranjan, smuggled and detonated smoke bombs in the Lok Sabha, causing momentary panic. The Delhi Police stressed the need for detailed interrogation.
The remaining two, unable to secure visitors’ passes, resorted to shouting slogans outside parliament while carrying the smoke bombs. All four individuals, including their accomplice Vishal Sharma and his wife, who housed them in Gurugram, have been charged under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Lalit Jha, identified as a key conspirator and alleged mastermind, is currently evading law enforcement and is on the run.
Lalit Jha, unable to secure a visitor’s pass, filmed the ‘protest’ by Neelam and Amol Shinde, uploading it online before fleeing, with his last sighting reported in Rajasthan’s Neemrana. In court, the police asserted that the operation resembled a terror attack, raising questions about its motive. They emphasized the need to investigate any potential involvement of terrorist organizations. The court learned that the accused likely smuggled the smoke canisters in their shoes, purchased from Lucknow, while the canisters themselves were procured in Mumbai. The accused were also found with pamphlets intended for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although the police sought 15 days’ custody, the judge granted a week for further investigations, citing the necessity to travel to Mumbai and Lucknow.