Shot fired during scuffle at Rohini court; two hurt
NEW DELHI: A bullet was fired, reportedly from a Nagaland Police constable’s service gun, as he tried to intervene in a scuffle between two lawyers and a civilian, causing panic at the Rohini court complex on Friday afternoon, after which lawyers abstained from work and demanded action against the security official. Nagaland Police personnel are posted at the court’s gates to maintain security.
To be sure, the police are probing if the policeperson fired the bullet intentionally or not.
The bullet hit the ground, but two sustained minor injuries after they were hit by “concrete projectile as a result of the bullet being fired”, the police said.
Friday’s incident led to panic in the court complex which has seen at least two other security breaches — the murder of a gangster by two armed gunmen in a courtroom and an improvised explosive device (IED) found in the court — in the last eight months. Lawyers of the court abstained from work on Friday afternoon to protest against the security breach and said that the protest will continue till a first information report (FIR) is filed against the official.
The police did not specify what action they have taken against the constable who fired the gun.
Delhi Police officers who visited the court complex said the bullet hit the ground and concrete projectile hit a lawyer and another person, causing minor injuries on their chest and hand.
“The situation at the court complex is peaceful. We are looking into the case,” said deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Pranav Tayal.
A video from a CCTV camera purportedly shows two lawyers in a scuffle with one of their clients at gate number 8 at 9.40am, following which police and other lawyers try to intervene in the scuffle.
In the video, the Nagaland Police constable is seen reaching the spot and trying to stop the scuffle during which a bullet is fired from his gun. Cell phone videos showed some lawyers accusing the police of shooting at them within the court complex.
The Rohini Court Bar Association (RCBA) issued a statement, in which they accused police of using “unwanted force” and “unnecessarily interfering in a small issue and risking the life of other advocates”. The press statement signed by RCBA secretary, Manjeet Mathur, said, “This act of the security person is highly condemnable. The RCBA executive committee has decided to abstain from work today (April 22, 2022).”
Mathur said that lawyers will abstain from work at Rohini court complex on Saturday also if an FIR is not registered against the erring security official. “We had a high-level meeting with the judge, representative of the bar association and police officials where we demanded that the role of not just the security official but also the conduct of the beat officers from Delhi Police be probed. We sought an FIR be registered against the erring security official from Nagaland Police so that such incidents are prevented in the future. If the FIR is not lodged, then we would continue abstaining from work on Saturday also,” said Mathur, who also questioned the interference of the security official when other Delhi Police officers were already present.
Rakesh Sehrawat, chairman of Bar Council of Delhi (BCD), said that the authorities should apprise the bar association about the security arrangements and seek their suggestions.
In the last eight months,
Rohini court complex has been in news at least thrice – the first was on September 24, 2021, when top Delhi gangster Jitender Gogi was shot dead inside a court, and the second on December 9, 2021, when the IED was found in the court.
In the backdrop of such incidents, Delhi police have increased security at the city courts. Apart from personnel from the police’s security division, paramilitary personnel and those from Nagaland police have also been posted at the courts.
Mitul Lohchab, an advocate practising in the Rohini court, said that his family is afraid for him now. “From the last few months, my family is very worried about my well being because of the recent incidents of shootout and bomb blast. They keep cautioning me to stay away from crowded places in the court and avoid any brawl. I can’t wear a bullet proof jacket and go to court. The authorities have to act fast so that there are no more incidents like this,” he said.
LAWYERS FROM THE COURT HAVE SAID THEY WILL ABSTAIN FROM WORK TILL THE POLICE FILE A
CASE AGAINST THE NAGALAND POLICE CONSTABLE