- By Vivek Raj
- Thu, 14 Dec 2023 01:20 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
On Wednesday, December 13, Indian Parliament witnessed a major security breach, that too on the anniversary of Parliament attack of 2001. Two intruders jumped from the visitor’s gallery into the Lok Sabha chamber, following which MPs confronted them. The individuals involved in the major security breach of Parliament on Wednesday belongs to diverse educational backgrounds, hail from different strata of society, and represent various regions of the country.
The accused individuals’ ages range from the mid-20s to the late 30s, including Sagar Sharma, Neelam Azad, Manoranjan D, Amol Shinde, Vicky Sharma, and Lalit Jha.
Shared Motivation: Highlighting Social Issues
According to statements provided to the police, the accused planned the breach to draw attention to issues such as unemployment, inflation, and the situation in Manipur. Their aim was to ensure these concerns became topics of discussion in the Parliament.
Who are the accused behind Parliament security breach?
Sagar Sharma (27) - The Rickshaw Driver
-Born in Delhi and residing in Lucknow, Sharma used to quote freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara in his social media posts.
-Captured in footage during the breach, Sharma deployed a canister of yellow smoke and attempted to reach the Speaker's Chair before being subdued by MPs.
- Sagar’s last post on Instagram: "Jeete ya hare, par koshish to zaruri hai. Ab dekhna ye hai safar kitana haseen hoga. Umeed hai fir milengey”
Manoranjan D (34) - The Engineer
-Hailing from Mysore with a degree in computer engineering, Manoranjan jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber after Sharma.
-His father, Devaraje Gowda, did not approve of his son's actions and said he should be "hanged" if he has done anything wrong. Mr Gowda said, "The parliament is ours... Many people have built that temple, from Mahatma Gandhi to Jawaharlal Nehru... It is not acceptable for someone to behave like this with the temple, even if it is my son."
Neelam Azad (37) - The Protesting Teacher
-From Hisar, Haryana, Neelam holds an M.Phil degree
-She has participated in farmers' protests and other demonstrations.
-Despite her qualifications, she faced unemployment and expressed distress over her situation.
-"She is very qualified but wasn't getting a job. She was so stressed because of this that she often used to say that she should just die as, despite studying so much, she was unable to earn enough for two square meals," her mother, Saraswati, told reporters.
-Her brother said, "She had completed her BA, MA, and M.Phil and had cleared NET, but was still unemployed. She moved to Jind six months ago and was preparing for the Secondary Teachers' Eligibility Test."
Amol Shinde (25) - The Army Aspirant
-Coming from Maharashtra's Latur, Shinde, a son of farm laborers, had aspirations to join the police or Army, but failed after repeated attempts.
-He joined Neelam Azad in deploying canisters and shouting slogans outside Parliament.
-His father said, "On December 9, Amol had left home saying he was going for a police recruitment drive. He could run very well and wanted to join the police or the Army. We don't know what he did in Parliament. We work as labourers. The police have also spoken to us and we have told them that we don't know anything."
Vicky Sharma - Documenting Breach
-Detained along with his wife Rekha, Vicky provided shelter to the accused at their Gurugram house.
-Vicky works as a driver for an export company.
Lalit Jha - On the Run
-From Bihar, Jha shot videos of the breach, forwarded them to an NGO founder, and is currently on the run.
-His actions included fleeing with the cellphones of his accomplices.
Charges Under UAPA and Other Sections
Shinde, Manoranjan, Sharma, and Neelam have been arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, along with sections related to criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity. Vicky Sharma has been detained for providing shelter. Lalit Jha remains evasive and is currently on the run.
The authorities are investigating further the motivations behind the breach and the connections between the accused. The Home Ministry, in collaboration with security agencies, is expected to conduct a thorough review of the incident and the security protocols in place. Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla has initiated discussions with concerned agencies, and Delhi Police continues its inquiry into the incident.