Farmers Movement Archive

HC rejects petition seeking action against police for ‘failing to discharge duty’ during Red Fort violence

New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking action against Delhi Police officers for allegedly failing to discharge their duty when violence broke out at Red Fort on Republic Day following a tractor parade by farmers protesting against central farm laws. Noting that nobody was present on behalf of the petitioner when the matter was called, a bench of chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh observed that the petitioner remained unrepresented on the last few occasions as well. “The petition is, therefore, dismissed for default,” the bench said. Filed in January, the petition by Dhananjai Jain, a Delhi resident, also sought to remove people squatting under the garb of farmers’ agitation and to clear off all the roads and public places. The plea further demanded the removal of the then Delhi Police Commissioner from his position with immediate effect following the violence on Republic Day and prayed for a direction to the Centre to put adequate paramilitary forces to protect important monuments and to ensure the safety of life and property of citizens of Delhi and restore the feeling of confidence and security amongst them. “Grave and emergent situation arose in Delhi, when on the Republic Day, the celebrations were underway. The farmer agitation, which was going on for last so many days, took a very aggravated and violent turn and the farmers reached the interiors of Delhi armed with weapons, hockey sticks, swords and other assault weapons disturbing the peace and law and order and tranquillity in the capital apart from demeaning the Republic Day festivity,” the petition had claimed. It alleged that Delhi Police did not take timely decisions to allow officials to wield appropriate force.

The Times of India

2021-11-13

Delhi