Delhi High Court orders tight security for Eid in Uttam Nagar

The court stressed that the festival of Eid is celebrated “to rejoice”, and that authorities were duty-bound to prevent any untoward incident.

The Delhi high court on Thursday directed the police and civil administration in Uttam Nagar to take all necessary measures to maintain peace and ensure a secure environment during Eid festivities. The court stressed that the festival is “to rejoice”, and that authorities were duty-bound to prevent any untoward incident.

New Delhi: Police personnel stand guard at barricades ahead of Eid al-Fitr, at Uttam Nagar. (PTI)

The directions were issued by a bench led by chief justice DK Upadhyaya while hearing a petition filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (ACPCR) to enhance security arrangements at an Eidgah in the slum colony, as well as in and around other mosques in the locality.

“Eid is celebrated to rejoice. It is the duty of all concerned to ensure that on such a pious occasion, public life is not disrupted by any kind of untoward incident involving any sort of vandalism or hooliganism on the part of a single individual or any other section of society. It is needless to observe that it is the duty of the state, especially the police, is to ensure that every single citizen in the society is able to observe religious rights, including celebration of festivals,” the court said in its order.

ACPCR, in its petition, said that members of the Muslim community were apprehensive of the law and order situation on Eid, as tensions have persisted in the locality since the murder of 26-year-old Tarun Kumar during Holi celebrations on March 4.

It stated that following the incident, multiple rallies and assemblies, including “akrosh rallies (outrage marches),” were held in Uttam Nagar, during which highly provocative and inflammatory speeches allegedly called for violence against members Muslims.

In its order, the bench, also comprising justice Tejas Karia, directed the police to ensure adequate safety arrangements are made to instil a sense of security among residents. The bench ordered that police arrangements remain in place in the area until the festival of Ram Navami, on March 26.

It said, “We thus direct the police and civil administration of the area to take all necessary action permissible under the law to ensure that the situation does not take any ugly turn and that an atmosphere is created conducive to the peaceful and dignified observance of the festival of Eid, which is likely to be tomorrow (Friday). Authorities shall also ensure that no one from any section of society to play any kind of mischief having the potential of creating any untoward situation.”

“Mr Lau (counsel for Delhi Police), ask your police not to be lax. Whatever happens in Delhi has a ripple effect. The police arrangements in place shall continue till the festival of Ram Navami,” it said.

The Delhi Police was represented by standing counsel Sanjay Lau, Centre’s by additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma, and ACPCR by senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna.

The Delhi Police submitted that adequate security arrangements have been in place round-the-clock since March 5 in the colony where the incident occurred, as well as in the surrounding areas. They said that personnel from Dwarka, along with additional forces of the Delhi Police and central armed forces, have been deployed to ensure peaceful Eid festivities.

Eight companies of armed police personnel have been stationed across all 11 police stations in Dwarka police zone, they said. Additionally, four companies, comprising around 400 personnel, are on active vigil, supported by 400 personnel from the district force, and the police were also closely monitoring social media platforms, the police counsel submitted. Around 50 inflammatory posts have been taken down, and requests have been made to remove 174 posts so far, and an intensive verification drive has been carried out, with the antecedents of 8,862 persons checked, the counsel said.

Lau also submitted that Aman Committee meetings were being held at the district and police station levels, including interactions with heads of religious institutions. He said that over the past two weeks, around 30 such meetings have been conducted and preventive actions have been taken under relevant provisions of the BNSS and the Delhi Police Act to maintain law and order.

The initial clashes occurred on March 4 when an 11-year-old girl threw a water balloon that hit a Muslim woman, triggering an altercation. Tarun Kumar, 26, succumbed to injuries four days later. Police have arrested 14 people and apprehended two minors in connection with the case.

The petition will be next heard on April 6.