Don’t wait for crowds to turn violent: Delhi court tells police

The court said police should not wait for the crowds to turn violent but put mechanisms in place to prevent gatherings that have the potential to turn violent.

“There is a growing tendency in people these days to resort to mob justice and this should be strongly discouraged,” a Delhi court has said while directing the city police to ensure appropriate action in time to prevent people from taking the law in their hands.

The court made the observations while it was hearing a case where the car of an accused was burnt by a mob of onlookers after it had hit a person who received minor injuries. (HT/Picture for representation)

“….it is stressed that no one can be allowed to take law in his own hands..,” chief metropolitan magistrate Sumedh Kumar Sethi said.

The court said police should not wait for the crowds to turn violent but put mechanisms in place to prevent gatherings that have the potential to turn violent, the court said in its August 9 order.

The court made these observations while it was hearing a case where the car of an accused was burnt by a mob of onlookers after it had hit a person who received minor injuries.

Sethi said a copy of the order should be sent to the deputy commissioner of police concerned. The court said police officials responsible for the maintenance of law and order should be told that if any such incident occurs, appropriate arrangements should be made immediately.

According to the prosecution, on December 13, 2016, a mob had beaten a man and set his car on fire for allegedly driving negligently, hitting an e-rickshaw and injuring its occupants.

On the earlier date, the court had asked the police to tell what action it had taken against the people who had taken the law in their hands. It had noted that the situation was allowed to get out of hand.

The court was informed on August 9 that an FIR was registered against the people involved in the violence.