Arrested JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar said his attackers in court seemed “highly motivated” while police didn’t intervene.
Kanhaiya told a Supreme Court-appointed lawyers’ probe panel that he was beaten up, pushed to the ground and injured by men in lawyers’ robes before the police, when he was brought to the Patiala House court premises on February 17. “The police escorting me tried to save me but they were also beaten up,” he said adding that in another instance when he was attacked, the police did not do anything.
Kanhaiya Kumar, in a video , said the the mob that beat him up at the Patiala House Court seemed to be “highly politically motivated” and “well prepared for the attack”.
Kanhaiya Kumar and a few journalists were assaulted at the Patiala House Courts complex on February 15 and 17.
The Delhi Police did not take any action while the attackers escaped, he said in the video which CNN-IBN said is footage of Kanhaiya Kumar testifying before a Supreme Court-appointed panel investigating the court violence.
Kanhaiya Kumar said the lawyers’ mob was prepared since as soon as they saw him at the entrance of the complex, he heard them calling other people to tell them Kanhaiya had arrived.
The lawyers started attacking me while raising slogans, he added.
He also told the panel that the mob also attacked the police officials who escorted him.
“The lawyers kept beating me right from the front gate till the court room. One of the attackers managed to enter the corridor of the court with me. He was also present in the room adjoining the court room, where proceedings were scheduled to be held,” said Kanhaiya Kumar.
“I informed the Delhi Police present in the court that he is the person who attacked me. The attacker was not even dressed in lawyer’s uniform. Delhi Police didn’t even try to arrest him and the attacker fled from the spot. I was disrobed during the attack and also lost my footwear,” he added.
Asked by the panel how police failed to provide securityand allowed the attacker inside, Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Jatin Narwal said that he immediately rushed to the spot but could not recognize the attacker since he came with the South district personnel, while an official from the South district said the man claimed to be Kanhaiya Kumar’s lawyer.
Outgoing Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi on Saturday said he has asked the case be transferred to the Special Cell, since it needed “focused investigation” and local police “would not be able to put the focus which the case demands as they have to deal with numerous routine law and order affairs”.