IB staffer found dead in Delhi's riot-hit area

An Intelligence Bureau staffer was on Wednesday found dead in a drain in northeast Delhi's riot-hit Chand Bagh area where he lived, officials said.

Ankit Sharma, 26, had been missing since Tuesday and might have been killed in stone pelting, they said.

His body was taken to the Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital for an autopsy.

Ankit's father Devendra, who also works with the Intelligence Bureau, said he returned home around 5.30 pm on Tuesday and soon after left to assess the situation outside.

However, for hours, he did not return.

"When he did not return, we started looking for him. We also went to the GTB and LNJP (Lok Nayak Jai Prakash) hospitals to check whether he was admitted, but could not find him.

"We kept searching him till 3 am on Wednesday. Later around 10 am, we got information that his body was lying inside the Chand Bagh drain. We never thought that he will be killed," he said.

Sharma's mother Sudha was inconsolable and said she never thought destiny would be so cruel to her.

"I cannot live without him," Sudha said repeatedly as relatives and friends tried to console her.

"When he returned home on Tuesday evening, I asked him to shift his bike from outside the house as it was difficult for people to pass through the stretch.

"Later, he told me that he was going to the main road to see his brother where the incidents were happening, but I asked him not to go there.

"When he stepped outside the house, people from other community caught him and killed him by using bricks and knife," Sudha said as she burst into tears.

She said Ankit was selected for the Delhi Police, but did not join the force.

"Ankit was very caring and used to love me a lot. I have cataract. He told me 'Maa I am your son and will provide you with the treatment for your disease'," she said.

Sharma's brother Ankur said some women from their colony informed them in the morning that they saw people throwing his brother in the drain.

"When the persons saw the women, they threatened them with dire consequences if they revealed about it to anyone. He sustained several stab wounds before being dumped into the drain," Ankur claimed.

The family alleged that the local councillor and his associates were behind the killing of Ankit.

However, there was no immediate reaction from the Aam Aadmi Party on the allegation.

On Tuesday evening, mobs roamed Chand Bagh and other areas, pelting stones and setting property on fire.

Sharma, one of the 27 killed in the communal violence over the citizenship amendment law, is survived by his parents, brother and sister.
He joined the service in 2017.