From the 24th through the 26th of February, Delhi was engulfed in massive communal riots, where Islamic mobs targeted Hindu businesses and homes. Delhi Police Head Constable Ratan Lal was one of the first victims. Ratan Lal was mercilessly lynched by a crazed Islamist mob while he was trying to do his duty on main Wazirabad Road, Chand Bagh. The 42-year-old police officer lived with his family in Amrit Vihar, Burari, Delhi.
Ratan Lal’s family still resides in the same Amrit Vihar house today. Construction work was going on outside the house when the OpIndia team arrived at Amrit Vihar two years later to meet the bereaved family. The road leading to the humble household was dug up. Passing through a bumpy road, when we entered that two-room house, its walls were adorned with sketches of the police constable who was shot while he tried to calm down the riotous mob along with his seniors. We were told that the children made these in memory of their late father.
CM Arvind Kejriwal did not fulfil his promise to provide me with a job: Wife of deceased Constable Ratan Lal laments
“I don’t want to remember those old days,” Poonam, wife of the late policeman, told OpIndia. I’m attempting to recuperate from the memories of those events with tremendous difficulty. I’ve managed to take care of myself in order to provide for my children. Many of the government’s pledges have not yet been delivered. The Delhi government gave us one crore rupees in two instalments. Many others had made promises at the time that had not been kept. It was sought that a gate is built in his (Ratan Lal) name in Burari, but this request was also ignored. We had also urged CM Arvind Kejriwal to provide me with a job based on my educational qualification, but that request, too, has been ignored, rued Poonam.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, Delhi Police provides assistance to the family
“Delhi Police has been quite helpful,” Poonam continued. Sanjay Singh, the new DCP, has also been of great assistance to me. DCP sahib (Deputy Commissioner of Police) had also issued a medal in his (Ratan Lal) name on August 15. This medal had also been approved by CP Sahib (Police Commissioner Delhi). In Delhi, police officers will now be awarded medals in his memory. This is good to know.
His name has gained a great deal of esteem in recent years. However, the so-called “martyr” certificate has yet to arrive. On the 15th of August, a gallantry award was presented, but no benefits were obtained. It is still awaiting approval. My family is somehow sustaining. When a family member leaves, you know what happens,” rued Poonam, deceased Ratan Lal’s wife.
Will insure my son joins the Delhi police department: Poonam Ratan Lal
“His (Ratan Lal’s) pension is covering the household expenses,” Poonam continued. I’m not working anywhere. For me, staying at home and caring for my children is the most important thing. A job has been offered to us by the Delhi Police, which has been set aside for my son. When he reaches the age of 18, he will take up the job and serve the department. The son is eleven years old now and currently studying in class five. My older daughter is in 9th grade, and my younger daughter is in 7th grade,” said Poonam.
The moustache
A report by Times Now had said that a year before he was killed, Lal had once enthusiastically spoken about the resemblance between his moustache and national hero Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. When asked about the resemblance between Ratan Lal and Wing Commander Abhinandan’s impressive style of moustache, the former’s wife said, “His (Ratan Lal’s) moustache was from before Abhinandan. Since 2007, he’s had a moustache. It did take him quite some time to grow the unique moustache. I am sure Abhinandan had adopted Ratan Lal’s style”, opined Poonam.
“It was only on February 24, 2020, that it was learnt from the GTB Hospital, where he was rushed in an injured state, that he (Ratan Lal) had been shot,” said Poonam, adding that all news outlets have previously reported on this. Ratan Lal was brutally attacked and killed by an Islamic mob, who had also attacked DCP Anuj Kumar on that day.
Demand that the government fulfils all delayed promises
Poonam used OpIndia as a platform to make an appeal to the government to fulfil all the long-standing promises it had made after the death of her husband, Ratan Lal. I am thankful to JP Nadda, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, for sending me a citation. However, he is yet to deliver on his promises. Regarding my demands, I met with Amit Shah on December 16, 2021. After that, he told me that my demands would be met, but, so far, no documented martyr status certificate has been issued to us. The central government had also assured to give us compensation of Rs 1 crore which we have not received yet,” added Poonam.
Ratan Lal was a resident of Rajasthan
Lal belonged to Fathepur Tihwali village in Rajasthan’s Sikar district. Lal is survived by his wife and three children. The Sikar resident had joined the Delhi Police on the post of constable in 1998. He married a Jaipur resident in 2004. Ratan Lal was posted at Gokulpuri Police Station. He used to live with his family in a house in Delhi’s Burari area.
देश के सिपाही शहीद रतन लाल को मार डाला
— Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया 🇮🇳 (@gauravbh) March 5, 2020
बुर्के में महिलाओं ने जम कर पत्थर चलाये
पुलिस सख्त कार्यवाही करे और कृपया यह दलील न दी जाए कि मुसलमानों को प्रताड़ित किया जा रहा है ना यह कि यह महिलायें हैं।
यह केवल और केवल अपराधी हैं।
इतनी मासूम भी नहीं हैं।#CAA #CAA_NRC_NPR pic.twitter.com/FwxXGE2Poa
A mob attacked police officers stationed in Maujpur, Delhi’s North-East area, on February 24, 2020. Ratan Lal died from a bullet wound, according to the autopsy report. A video had surfaced in March 2020 where a violent mob of rioters can be seen attacking the Delhi Police officers with stones and sticks. She stated that there were videos on YouTube showing how her husband was shot but they were later taken down. She thinks she should have saved those videos.
The Special Investigation Team of Delhi Police had in June 2020 filed a 1,100-page charge-sheet in the case of the murder of Ratan Lal and deadly attacks by rioters on IPS Amit Sharma and IPS Anuj Kumar. At least 17 accused had been named in the charge-sheet. There are about 4 to 5 key conspirators in this whole case, which included Salim Khan, Salim Munna and Shadab. The police stated that the riots were engineered in Delhi through a conspiracy to malign the image of the country.
ISIS से संबंधित दो लोगों को हमने पकड़ा। ये लोग ISIS से आने वाली सामग्री का भारतीय भाषा में अनुवाद कर नफरत फ़ैलाने का काम करते थे।
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 12, 2020
साथ ही मैं बताना चाहता हूँ कि हमारे दोनों जाँबाज अफसर अंकित शर्मा और रतन लाल जी की हत्या करने वाले लोगों को भी हमने गिरफ्तार कर लिया है। pic.twitter.com/wVWsVlwLps
Union Home Minister Amit Shah had informed in Parliament on 12 March 2020 that all the accused in the Ratan Lal case have been arrested by Delhi Police.
In September this year, 5 of the accused persons in Ratan Lal’s murder were granted bail by the Delhi High Court.
