The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that despite an earlier court order directing the DCP concerned to look into the threat perception, the petitioner and her family were still not safe in the said locality.
Clarion India
NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi Commissioner of Police to provide security to a 45-year-old woman, a victim of the February Delhi riots, who complained of threats by people involved in the violence as also the police officers of Bhajanpura police station in northeast Delhi.
The victim has filed a petition in the court through lawyer Mehmood Pracha.
The petition had prayed before the court that an order be issued to the police to provide adequate protection to her and her family from any threats posed by perpetrators of the violence and threats posed by Bhajanpura police personnel.
Pracha told the court that despite a court order dated 17.07.2020 directing the DCP concerned to look into the threat perception, the petitioner and her family were still not safe in the said locality. “They have written various emails to the DCP and lastly a complaint dated 10.08.2020 stating the staff of the SHO concerned misbehaved with them.”
On July 17, the court directed the Delhi police to provide security to the petitioner and assess threat perception after she approached the court.
According to additional standing counsel Rajesh Mahajan, “a beat constable of the concerned area visits the site at least thrice a day and CCTV cameras have already been installed.”
But the petitioner claimed that on the intervening night of 05.08.2020 and 06.08.2020, some people gathered in front of her house, created nuisance and also threatened them after which a complaint had been filed with the SHO but no action had been taken by him as yet.
On police inaction over complaints, Mahajan said adequate protection had already been provided. “They intend to misuse that and have filed counter-complaints against the police, saying the police are harassing them. They do not want protection, let them get private security… We are giving them protection and… facing their ire.”
However, the court upheld the woman’s prayer and directed the DCP to provide the family some additional security since her grandson and her husband were beaten by the crowd and they have suffered brutal injuries.
The court also asked the DCP that a status report on the allegations made in the complaint be filed on or before the next date of hearing, September 5.
