NEW DELHI, Nov 28: The police van carrying Aaftab Amin Poonawala, the accused of the horrific murder of girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in Delhi, from the forensic laboratory back to Tihar jail came under attack by some sword-wielding men, who attacked the vehicle even as a police personnel waved a gun at them.
The police managed to control the situation and Poonawala is safe, sources said. The right wing group Hindu Sena has taken responsibility for the attack. A statement from Vishnu Gupta, the National President of the organisation, said the whole country is “watching how Aftab cut a Hindu girl into pieces” but he disapproved the armed attack on the police van.
Sources said the police van was taking Poonawala back to jail from west Delhi’s Forensic Science Laboratory, after his second polygraph test. The attack took place outside the FSL building.
Sources said the men had parked their car ahead of the police van, blocking it. Then five men emerged from the car, waving swords, and targeted the van. Sources said the police pulled out their weapons and countered them. A video of the incident shows one of the armed men also managing to open the van’s rear door to find a policeman standing inside. “Aaftab was unhurt and the van managed to leave,” said an officer.
No one was injured and two of the attackers have been taken into custody. They have claimed that their names were Nigam Gujjar and Kuldeep Thakur and they were residents of Gurugram. They also claimed that they were members of Hindu Sena — which the police are verifying.
G S Sidhu, DCP Rohini, confirmed the detentions and said legal action is being taken. “These men stopped the police van and obstructed personnel in their duty by wielding swords and attacking the vehicles with stones. We are questioning them about their identity and motive,” he said.
When contacted, Vishnu Gupta confirmed the outfit’s members were involved in the attack. “Delhi Police said Hindu Sena activists tried to attack Aftab outside Rohini Court. Whatever these activists have done is their personal feelings, the whole country is watching how Aftab cut a Hindu girl into pieces. The organisation does not support any such work which is against the Constitution of India; we believe in the law of India,” he said in a statement.
Poonawala has admitted that he killed Shraddha during a heated altercation. Later, he chopped the body into 35 pieces and after storing them in a refrigerator for days, disposed of them in various parts of Delhi. Less than 20 parts have been recovered and sent for DNA tests.
He has admitted to the murder in court too, but it would not count as evidence since the proceedings were a hearing about the extension of his police remand. The results of the polygraph test or the narco-analysis which will be held later, are not admissible in court either.
There are no primary witnesses in the case. Currently, the police only have circumstantial evidence of the horrific crime that has shaken the nation.
(Manas Dasgupta)
