Notices issued to state, police on lax attitude

Admitting Vikhroli resident Anwar Shaikh’s petition, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday served the state, the home ministry and the police notices, asking them to explain why protection had not been provided to Shaikh, after he repeatedly got threats.

Admitting Vikhroli resident Anwar Shaikh’s petition, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday served the state, the home ministry and the police notices, asking them to explain why protection had not been provided to Shaikh, after he repeatedly got threats.

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Hindustan Times had reported on August 11 how Shaikh, a resident of Tagore Nagar, Vikhroli, had got death threats because he campaigned for a cemetry on a local plot, which was reserved for one, but was going to be converted into an IT park and district centre after the collector issued NOCs to private developers.

Following the telephonic threats that he had receieved, Shaikh had lodged an FIR with the Tagore Nagar police station, asking for protection.

“However, despite a recent high court order, which had ruled that any activist facing any such threats had to be provided protection as interim relief, the local police didn’t take any action”, said Shaikh.

The High Court had served notices to the state, the principal Secretary (home ministry), the commissioner of police and the deputy commissioner of police, Zone VII.

A senior police official, defending the delay in providing protection, said, “We didn’t find any substance in the threats that Shaikh got. Hence, an already under-staffed police force can’t afford to provide protection to such frivolous complaints.”