The Delhi High Court on Wednesday afternoon said that they cannot let another scenario like the anti-Sikh massacres of 1984 happen in the city. The bench comprising Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Anup J Bhambhani was hearing the matter pertaining to the safe passage for the injured in the Delhi riots of the last three days.
“We can't allow a repeat of 1984 in this city under the watch of this court,” the bench reportedly said.
This was a follow-up from the court’s midnight hearing at the residence of Justice Muralidhar, in which it directed the police to ensure safe passage to government hospitals and emergency treatment for those injured in the communal violence which erupted in northeast Delhi.
"While order was being dictated at midnight, police was implementing it right there and rescuing injured persons," the bench said during the day's hearing.
“This shows that a lot can happen when the authorities are willing to take action. It's an actual demonstration of how police officers are waiting for the orders to act,” Justice Muralidhar said, reported Livelaw.
The bench asked functionaries of both the central and state governments to meet victims and their families, and asked them to reach out to families to restore confidence. It said that the highest constitutional functionaries who move with Z-security should reach out to the affected people to give them confidence that the law is functioning.
The court also reportedly asked the authorities to ensure that there is security when funerary activities of the deceased are carried out.
The court said that helpline numbers of the district legal service authorities are running all the time, and that they must be given publicity, according to Bar and Bench. The court also directed the Director of the Institute of Human Life Sciences to help those traumatised.
In its order, the court directed that special night magistrates have to be designated at district and sessions courts for two weeks to hear urgent matters. For this, the police will have to make a formal application to the concerned district judges.
The court also said that basic amenities must be provided to those displaced and put in shelter homes.
The bench termed the killing of an IB officer, Ankit Sharma, in the ongoing violence in which 20 people have died and over 180 injured as "extremely unfortunate".
The court held a special hearing, which started at 12.30 am, at the residence of Justice S Muralidhar. The urgent hearing was conducted after advocate Suroor Mander called the judge and sought urgent orders for safe passage of ambulances for the injured. The court directed the police to ensure safe passage to government hospitals and emergency treatment for those injured. The bench had also called for a status report of compliance, including information about the injured victims and the treatment offered to them.
This matter will be heard on Friday.
With inputs from PTI