TCN Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday pulled up the Delhi Police over their handling of the ongoing clashes in the capital while deferring to March 23 hearing on a plea to shift the Shaheen Bagh protesters.
Justice KM Joseph while hearing the petition lamented the “lack of professionalism” in the police force saying it was a malaise across the country that police waited for orders before acting. Twenty four people have been killed so far and scores injured in clashes that rocked the capital over the last three days between groups opposing and supporting the newly amended citizenship act.
The apex court, however, refused to hear any petitions on the ongoing violence saying the Delhi High Court was already hearing them. While hearing the Shaheen Bagh case, Justice Joseph and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, who headed the bench, dubbed the clashes in Delhi unfortunate and expressed.
The clashes between pro- and anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protesters enter day four. Twenty-four people have been killed and over 181, including a child, have sustained grievous injuries in the communal riots. Armed mobs have continued to rampage through parts of Northeast Delhi’s Jaffrabad-Maujpur region.
About 1,000 armed policemen were deployed Tuesday to maintain law and order.
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14:30pm: Delhi High Court resumes hearing Harsh Mander’s plea. It applauds Delhi Police’s efforts in evacuating injured in violence-hit areas Tuesday night.
Delhi high court being informed that after it’s midnight order, safe passages were created.
Death toll numbers anywhere between 20 and 35, the court being informed.
14:20pm: The Intelligence Bureau staffer, Ankit Sharma, found dead near his home in Chand Bagh, may have been killed in stone-pelting, say officials. His body taken to GTB Hospital for autopsy reports PTI.
14:15pm: Details of those killed, so far, in the communal violence in northeast Delhi:
- Mubarak Hussain, 28, MLC no. D66, PS Bhajanpura
- Ishak Khan, 24, Mlc no. B3369/10/2020, PS Welcome-Seelampur
- Ram Ser, 48, PS Jyotinagar, MalC B2-751/03/20
- Beerban, 40, PS Karawalnagar, MLC D46
- Rahul Solanki, 26, PS Karawal Nagar, Mlc BD542/02/2020
- Shan Md., 35, PS GTB enclave, Mlc D43
- Rahul Thakur, 23, Mlc DL14, PS Dayalpur
- Md Furqan, 30, PS Jyoti Nagar, MLC BD538/02/2020
- Shahid, 25, PS Dayalpur, Mlc BD540/02/2020
- Unknown, 25, Male. PS Dayalpur, Mlc BD539/02/2020
- Unknown, 22, Male, Mlc D52. PS Dayalpur
- Unknown, 70, Female, MLC D69, PS Bhajanpura
- Ashfaq Hussain, 22, PS Dayalpur, MLC D01 or D 07
- Zakir, 24, PS Dayalpur, MLC not mentioned
- Mehtab, 22, PS Dayalpur, Mlc D03
- Unknown, 40, Mlc D04, PS Dayalpur
- Pravesh, 48, PS Jaffrabad, Mlc no. D59
- Mudassir, 30, Mlc BD549/02/2020, PS Welcome-Seelampur
- Unknown, 30, Male. PS Welcome-Seelampur, Mlc BD 546/02/2020
- Deepak, 34, PS Jyoti Nagar, Mlc no. BD 548/02/2020
- Mohammad Tahir, 28
- Atul Gupta, 45
- Mahrum Ali, 25
- Aman, 19
13:52pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally issues a statement, saying he has had an extensive review of the situation. He appeals for peace and harmony and says normalcy must be restored at the earliest.
Had an extensive review of the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy.
Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest.
13:50pm: The body of Intelligence Bureau Officer Ankit Sharma has been found in northeast Delhi’s Chand Bagh area, which was hit by violence Tuesday, according to the news agency.
13:32pm: Delhi High Court asks the Solicitor General to advise Delhi Police Commissioner on lodging of FIRs against alleged hate speeches by 3 BJP leaders.
The hearing will continue at 2.30 pm.
13:25pm: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi holds a press briefing over the situation in Delhi, calling for home minister Amit Shah to resign. “The Centre, Home Minister, and Delhi government responsible for the situation in Delhi. Home Minister Amit Shah must take responsibility for the violence and resign,” she said, adding that there is a need for urgent action and security forces to be called in.
There is a well-planned conspiracy behind the continuous traumatic accidents that have been happening since last Sunday. The country saw this conspiracy during the Delhi elections as well.
13:17pm: Death toll rises to 24 as four more — two in Lok Nayak Hospital and two in Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital — succumb to injuries.
13:06pm: The Delhi High Court hears the plea filed seeking an independent probe into the riots, filed by Harsh Mander.
The bench, comprising of Justice Muralidhar and Justice Talwant Singh, asks a police officer present whether he has seen the videos of BJP leaders making inflammatory speeches. The officer responds in the negative, Justice Muralidhar orders that a clip of BJP leader Kapil Mishra leading a group of pro-CAA protesters, which led to the riots to break out, to be played in court.
Justice Muralidhar orders Kapil Mishra’s clip to be played in court.
12:57pm: The Supreme Court posts the matter of Shaheen Bagh for hearing on 23 March, saying there is need for magnanimity and for situation in Delhi to cool down before it is taken up, according to PTI.
12:27pm: Police doesn’t have to wait for orders if someone makes inflammatory statements but act in accordance with law, says Supreme Court bench comprising of Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, reports PTI.
12:06pm: Solicitor general Tushar Mehta asks the Supreme Court not to make any adverse observations relating to Delhi violence as it will demoralise police force, reports PTI.
The top court responded, saying remarks are made not in adversarial context but to ensure law and order is maintained. It added that it has nothing against Delhi Police but is making remarks keeping in mind a larger perspective.
SC says it has nothing against Delhi Police but is making remarks keeping in mind larger perspective
11:53am: The Supreme Court has termed the communal clashes ‘unfortunate’ but has refused to entertain pleas on them, reports PTI. The top court disposed of applications relating to the communal clashes, saying it is for the High Court to take note of the matter.
11:13am: “Situation ‘alarming’; Army should be called in,” says Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, reports. A rise in the death toll to 20.
10:56am: Delhi High Court issues notice to Police Commissioner over Harsh Mander’s plea seeking judicial inquiry, deployment of Army, and compensation for the victims injured in the violence.
The matter will be taken up at 12:30pm by a Division Bench of Justices Muralidhar and Talwant Singh.
10:32am: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval visited Delhi’s northeast district, including Seelampur, Jaffrabad, Maujpur, and Gokulpuri Chowk to take stock of the law and order situation.
Delhi: Latest visuals from the Seelampur area. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval had visited the areas affected by violence in North East Delhi last night and had reviewed security arrangements in the area.
10:10am: The Delhi HC held an urgent midnight hearing and asked the police to ensure safe passage for some riot victims stuck in an injured condition. Read ThePrint report here:
10:00am: Four bodies were brought to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital from the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, taking the death toll to 17.
Delhi Police have been issued ‘shoot-at-sight’ orders in the northeast district. Section 144 has also been imposed. The CBSE board canceled exams for centers in the area while schools are being kept shut. For more on what happened over the past two days,