A man described as a “key accused” in the recent security breach at the Indian parliament has been apprehended by the police. Lalit Jha, a teacher, surrendered to authorities in Delhi on Thursday but has not yet been presented in court. Four others, arrested the day before, face charges under a strict anti-terror law and have been remanded to police custody for a week.
The breach, which occurred on the 22nd anniversary of a militant attack on the parliament, involved two individuals, Manoranjan D and Sagar Sharma, entering the MPs’ chamber, shouting slogans, and releasing smoke. Two additional individuals, Neelam and Amol Shinde, were arrested for chanting slogans and deploying colored gas outside the building.
The individuals, all in their 20s and 30s, reportedly expressed frustration with the government’s policies, claiming unemployment. However, no links to political organizations have been established by the police.
Lalit Jha, described by some news reports as the suspected “mastermind” behind the security breach, has not issued any statements since the incident. Reports suggest that he surrendered accompanied by another man who was also taken into custody.
During a court hearing seeking custody of the four initial accused, the Additional Public Prosecutor described the protest as a “well-planned conspiracy.” The incident has sparked a political uproar, resulting in the suspension of 14 opposition lawmakers from parliament. They are demanding a discussion on the breach and statements from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Additionally, they seek action against Pratap Simha, a BJP MP alleged to have signed passes used by the intruders; however, neither Simha nor the party have officially commented on the matter.
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