PHOTO: PTI/SHAHBAZ KHAN

FOCUS OF PUBLIC IRE: Moninder Singh Pandher, prime accused in the Noida serial killings case, lies unconscious on the Ghaziabad district court premises after he was beaten up by lawyers and people on Thursday.

GHAZIABAD: Moninder Singh and Surender Koli, the accused in the Nithari serial killings, were beaten up by an angry crowd inside the court premises here on Thursday. The incident happened when they were being taken away after production by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The two, whose CBI custody has been extended by 14 days, were later taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi for a medical check-up.

Suspended

While three police officers have been placed under suspension on charges of negligence, the Ghaziabad police have registered a case against six people.

Moninder and Surender were leaving the court of Special Judicial Magistrate Sapna Mishra around 11 a.m. when the crowd suddenly attacked them outside the courtroom on the first floor of the building. The local police personnel and CBI officers tried to intervene but were outnumbered.

Rain punches

The assailants, who broke some windowpanes and furniture, rained punches and blows on Moninder and Surender while dragging them to the ground floor. The crowd kept beating Moninder till he fainted. The police personnel later spirited away both the accused to the court lockup to save them from the crowd.

The accused were then taken to hospital under heavy security. While Surender was discharged after first aid, Moninder — who sustained injuries all over the body — was kept under observation for a while and later discharged.

Reacting to the incident, CBI Director Vijay Shankar said it was the duty of the State Government to ensure full protection to the accused. The CBI Deputy Inspector General had on Wednesday written to Ghaziabad Senior Superintendent of Police Navin Arora and also spoken with him over telephone requesting him for adequate security.

Report sought

Later on Thursday evening, Deputy Inspector General (Meerut) Shailendra Pratap Singh held a meeting with the SSP and other senior officers to discuss the next course. On the basis of an initial report prepared by the City Superintendent of Police, Station Officer Rakesh Paliwal, in-charge Outpost Collectorate Somprakash and Local Intelligence Unit officer Iksha Ram were placed under suspension. The City SP has been directed to furnish a detailed report within three days.

Ghaziabad Bar Association president Nahar Singh Yadav later refuted charges that lawyers were involved in the attack on the accused.

"It is true that some lawyers raised slogans against the accused but they did not beat them. In fact, we tried to rescue the two from the mob," he said.

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