Mysuru to Delhi: How Did the Accused Plot Parliament Security Breach

The accused met each other 18 months ago and were part of a fan page of Bhagat Singh, Delhi Police sources said.

As per reports, the accused met one-and-a-half years ago on Facebook and were part of a group called 'Bhagat Singh Fan Clubs.'

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The five persons accused in the security breach which took place in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, 13 December, came from different parts of India. But had three things that tied them together.

They all met each other on Facebook about 18 months ago, all six were fans of Indian freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and they were collectively 'unhappy' with the government's functioning.

While the Delhi Police charged four of the accused – Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Neelam and Anmol Shinde – under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the fifth accused Lalit Jha was arrested after he surrendered to the police on Thursday, 14 December.

As per initial interrogation, Delhi Police sources told The Quint that the accused were allegedly protesting against several issues including unemployment, inflation and Manipur violence.

Accused Began Planning In January: Reports

According to several reports, the first meeting of the accused took place in Karnataka's Mysuru around 1.5 years ago. All five joined the fan page – 'Bhagat Singh Fan Clubs – on Facebook after coming in touch with each other on social media.

Lalit (Bihar), Sagar (Lucknow) and Manorajan (Mysuru) had met in Mysuru, and later added Neelam (Hisa) and Amol (Maharashtra), reported PTI.

It was in this meeting that they discussed the need to highlight issues which they believed Parliament should discuss. This included issues such as unemployment, inflation and the Manipur violence, NDTV reported, quoting police sources.

In January 2023, the second meeting between the five accused took place, during which they allegedly planned the Parliament breach.

Police sources said that Manorajan allegedly carried out a reccee as he visited the Parliament complex during the Monsoon Session to "take stock of the security measures."

It was during his visit when Manorajan realised that a visitor's shoe was not being checked during entry and the accused planned to hide the canisters inside their shoes.

A few days prior to the attack, the four accused arrived separately in Delhi and met in Connaught Place. It was Lalit Jha, who allegedly took them to the house of his friend, Vicky (Vishal Sharma) in Gurugram on 10 December, reports suggested.

What Happened On 13 December 2023?

According to The Indian Express, Manoranjan coordinated with the personal staff of BJP MP Pratap Simha, who is his local MP, and sought a visitor's pass for 14 December.

"The official staff called him on Tuesday, asking him to pick up his pass which was made for December 13 instead. This morning, they left Vicky’s house in a radio taxi and reached the Parliament,” the newspaper reported, quoting sources.

Manoranjan their passes at 9 am from the MP's office. The accused then gathered at India Gate, where Shinde allegedly distributed the smoke-filled canisters to the rest.

Sharma and Manoranjan then went inside the Parliament building around 12 pm, with the canister concealed in Manoranjan’s shoe.

Meanwhile, Neelam and Anmol Shinde stayed outside to raise slogans. Lalit Jha was also at the spot and was taking their videos. Jha, who live-streamed the event, managed to escape with the ID cards and mobile phones of the other two.

Social Media Activity Of Accused

Photos of freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh and Chandrashekhar Azad, to photos and videos from the farmers' protests, were some of the common posts of at least three of the five accused on social media.

On Wednesday, Lalit Jha posted videos of Neelam Singh and Anmol Sinde protesting outside the Parliament on Instagram. In these videos, the accused were seen chanting 'Jai Bhim' and 'Bharat mata Ki Jai', while releasing gas from the canisters.

Jha describes himself as a "teacher" on social media. Most of his posts are quotes and pictures of freedom fighters.

In his last Instagram post before the incident, Sagar Sharma said: "Jeete ya hare, par koshish toh zaroori hai. Ab dekhna yeh hai, safar kitna haseen hoga… Umeed hai phir milenge (Whether you win or lose, it is important to try. Now we just have to wait and see how beautiful the journey will be... let's hope we meet again)

Sharma calls himself a writer, poet, philosopher, and an "actor, thinker and artist." He hails from Lucknow's Alambagh and drives an e-rickshaw in the city.

Anmol Sinde has also posted videos and photos of him running, boxing and winning medals in sports.