The NGO Amnesty International accused the New Delhi police on Friday of having committed "serious human rights violations" in February during riots between Hindus and Muslims in the Indian capital. "Active participants" in these clashes, the police allegedly engaged in "violence with the rioters", according to the text published in English on the Amnesty website.
Torture charge
They are also accused of acts of "torture in custody", the use of "excessive force" against the demonstrators, the dismantling of "places of peaceful protest" and their passivity while some rioters "sowed chaos". .
In February, New Delhi was the scene for several days of the worst clashes in decades between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority.
Clashes between supporters and opponents of a controversial citizenship law, deemed discriminatory against Muslims by its critics, have degenerated into community clashes. The riots killed around 50 people, mostly Muslims, and hundreds more were injured.
About fifty testimonies
To back up its accusations, Amnesty says it spoke with 50 people, including participants, witnesses, doctors and retired police officers. Several amateur videos were also analyzed, including one which shows police officers "kicking and hitting a group of five people injured". The police then point guns at them, asking them to sing the Indian national anthem.
Still according to Amnesty, which deplores "impunity guaranteed by the State", no investigation has been launched into the behavior of the police during the riots.
Contacted by AFP, Delhi police and the Interior Ministry were not immediately available to respond to the NGO's allegations.
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