More than two weeks after the body of 26-year-old Ankit Sharma, an Intelligence Bureau personnel, was found during the Northeast Delhi violence, a postmortem report dismisses claims that Sharma was “stabbed over 400 times”.
His body was found in a drain in northeast Delhi’s Chand Bagh area on 26 February.
The claim, initially reported by right-wing websites, was further amplified by ministers in Parliament, social media influencers, and even found a mention in an official letter from the Prasar Bharati CEO to the BBC. While Ankit Sharma sustained severe fatal injuries in the attack during the communal violence that gripped the national capital from 24 to 26 February, the severity was seemingly exaggerated for shock value.
According to the post-mortem report, accessed by The Quint, Sharma was stabbed 12 times and sustained 51 injuries in total.
What Does The Post-Mortem Report Say?
The cause of death, mentioned in the post-mortem report, says “shock due to hemorrhage due to injuries to lung and brain. Some injuries were produced by sharp-edged weapons.”
It further states, “An injury was produced by heavy cutting weapon, while rest of the injuries were by blunt force. All injuries were fresh before death.”
Sharma, as per the report, had suffered stab wounds all over the body but mostly on his back and spine. The report says that the IB staffer also sustained 13 “lacerated wounds”, caused due to beating with a blunt object.
False Claims Made by Politicians, Media Outlets
Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, in Parliament, cited the “400” figure. Several media outlets including Republic, Times Now, The Free Press Journal and right-wing website Opindia carried reports claiming that the IB employee was “stabbed over 400 times.”
The same news was amplified by the CEO of Prasar Bharati, who, while declining an invitation from BBC, stated that the channel remained silent on the “targeted murder” of Sharma despite “stab wounds numbering in hundreds”.
BJP Delhi President Manoj Tiwari and BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra had also pushed this narrative through their social media handles.
This was followed by hateful commentary on social media.
Speaking to The Quint on condition of anonymity, a medical forensic expert familiar with the case called these reports “inflammatory”.
“There were cut marks on his body. Bruises, abrasions and multiple stab injuries were there, but the claim that he was stabbed over 400 times is 100 percent wrong.”
When asked specifically about reports which talked about either bullet wounds or 400 stab wounds on Sharma’s body, the expert said, “These are just incitement elements [sic]. If somebody from the other community listens to this or his community listens to this, they will fall for these rumours.”
Allegations Against AAP MLA Over Ankit Sharma’s Death
A court sent suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain to three-day police custody on Friday, 13 March, in connection with Sharma’s death.
An FIR had been registered against him under Section 302 IPC (punishment for murder) on Thursday, 27 February.
Hussain was arrested on 5 March after a court in Delhi dismissed his plea seeking to surrender before it in connection with the case and was sent to seven-day police custody the next day.
The councillor has denied any involvement, claiming that his house was broken into and he had to be rescued by the police.
Sharma’s father Ravinder, also an IB employee, has alleged that Hussain’s supporters killed his son.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has arrested six more persons in connection Sharma’s killing. The accused arrested on Saturday, 14 March, have been identified as Feroz, Javed, Gulfam and Shoaib from Chand Bagh area and Anas from Mustafabad.
A man called Salman alias Nanhe was apprehended on Thursday, 12 March.
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