By IANS,
New Delhi : At 10.14 a.m. exactly a week ago, a powerful bomb went off at the Delhi High Court complex, killing 13 people and injuring over 90. On Wednesday, with lawyers and litigants buzzing around, normalcy has seemingly returned to the site – but the heightened security is a tell-all.
At Gate No. 5 of the court complex near which the blast took place, many policemen are keeping watch. A couple of PCR vans are stationed as well.
Although the gate itself has been thrown open – after being sealed initially for sleuths to gather evidence for the probe – entry is being allowed strictly on the basis of identity card.
“The heightened security is a change over the past week. Other than that, all the lawyers are back to work, litigants are back… it’s as if nothing had happened,” said Anil Sharma, a lawyer at the Delhi High Court.
“Yet, I can’t seem to leave behind the scene of the blast…it was shocking. I was here for a case when it took place last Wednesday and escaped miraculously. But those heartbreaking scenes of people lying in pools of blood and crying for help will always remain with me,” he added.
The blast took place on a Wednesday when public interest petitions are filed and litigants gather at Gate No.5 through which they enter the court complex and make their pass. Thus it had massive impact and resulted in a large number of casualties.
Ravi Jain, a factory owner who came to the court Wednesday, said: “There was a sense of fear before coming here today, but I had no choice. I have a case to fight and if I cow down because of fear of what may happen, then I will never be able to go on in life.”
Like Jain, a number of other litigants who came to the court at around 10.30 a.m. Wednesday said they were asked by their families not to come to the court. But they did so anyway.
“Blasts have become so common these days – in busy markets, on the road, even the court – that if you have to start crossing out all the places which had suffered a blast then you won’t be able to go anywhere!” said Suresh Kumar, a litigant.
“I will admit that I had some apprehensions. Especially, when I saw the heavy security and the still damaged office where passes used to be made near Gate 5…we are human beings after all, how is it possible to suddenly forget that so many died here?”