The Hindu : New Delhi News : Court orders inquiry into police firing

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Court orders inquiry into police firing

Staff Reporter

Two died during sealing drive in 2000

“Cover up with an ill motive to disguise facts”
Police tried to justify the firing saying the mob had turned restive

NEW DELHI: A court here has ordered an inquiry into the death of two persons in police firing during a protest against the Supreme Court-ordered sealing of industrial units in residential areas in an East Delhi locality in 2000.

Additional Sessions Judge R. K. Yadav directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police of the district concerned to register a case and probe the death of two persons, Irfan and Ajab, in the firing.

Acquitted

The court issued the direction while acquitting 25 people who had been accused of unlawful assembly and violent protests following which the police had to open fire allegedly to disperse the mob. The investigating officer had not bothered to probe the cause of death of the deceased and covered up their deaths with stern hands with an ill motive to disguise acts of his fellow-policemen, the court said.

During the trial, the police tried to justify the firing saying the mob had turned restive and the lives of the policemen were in danger. However, the court questioned their action and also questioned them why the two deaths had been virtually covered up.

Irfan and Ajab were killed on November 20, 2000, when the police opened fire on a mob protesting in an East Delhi locality against the sealing drive.

The mob had torched DTC buses and damaged police vehicles while protesting.

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