ANKARA

A court in Delhi has ordered action against a police officer for a “hate crime” related to the 2020 riots, which left over 50 people, mostly Muslims, dead.

"Clearly, the station house officer Police Station Jyoti Nagar, and other unknown police officials engaged themselves in hate crimes against the complainant/victim," Judicial Magistrate Udbhav Kumar Jain of Karkardooma Court said in his order signed last month.

"They cannot be protected under the garb of sanction as alleged offences committed by them cannot be said to have been committed while acting or purporting to act in the discharge of their official duty."

The riots, which erupted on February 23, 2020, coincided with the visit of then-US President Donald Trump to New Delhi. The violence lasted until February 27, killing over 50 people and injuring more than 250.

A fact-finding report by the Delhi Minorities Commission claimed the riots were “well-planned,” though the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party rejected the findings.

Complainant Mohammad Waseem described being assaulted by police on February 24, 2020, while searching for his mother. He alleged that after falling while trying to escape the rioting area, a police officer abused and beat him.

“Then four of the policemen picked the complainant and threw him at the place where other injured people were lying already. These policemen started beating them and asking them to sing the national anthem and also made them chant slogans…” the complaint noted.

A video of the incident showed police assaulting five men and forcing them to sing the national anthem.

The court has ordered the police officer in charge of the station to assign a responsible officer to conduct an investigation into the matter, including the role of other police officials.

Initial estimates put the financial losses worth billions of US dollars, with 92 houses, 57 shops, 500 vehicles, six warehouses, two schools, four factories, and four religious places destroyed.