New Delhi, March 19 The Delhi High Court has directed the city police and administration to ensure a peaceful and dignified observance of Eid in Uttam Nagar, where a 26-year-old man was killed in a Holi clash.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that the police deployment in the area should ensure the safety and security of everyone.
The bench directed the authorities to ensure that no one engages in activities that could lead to "unforeseen situations".
It clarified that the police presence in the area will continue until the upcoming Ram Navami festival.
The order was issued in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a civil rights group, the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, which approached the Delhi High Court on Wednesday to prevent "imminent communal violence" during Eid in Uttam Nagar.
The petition came up for hearing after the petitioner's counsel mentioned the matter to the Chief Justice's bench for urgent listing.
After hearing both sides, the court said that Eid is a festival of joy and it is the duty of all authorities to ensure that public life is not disrupted by any "undesirable incidents" or acts of hooliganism.
The court observed that the concerns raised in the petition stemmed from the death of a young man in the area on March 4, and therefore, the police must be "extra cautious" and ensure that "all sections of society maintain restraint".
"Therefore, we 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 escalate and an atmosphere conducive to peaceful and dignified observance of the Eid festival is created, which is likely to occur tomorrow," the court ordered.
"The police deployment should ensure the safety and security of everyone. The authorities should also ensure that no one from any section of society engages in any activity that could lead to an unforeseen situation," it further stated.
The court added that if, upon assessment of the situation, a need is felt to strengthen the arrangements, the authorities should take immediate action.
"The situation as described in the petition calls upon the authorities to maintain constant vigilance. It also calls upon members of different sections of society to maintain restraint and conduct themselves in a manner that promotes peace and harmony and does not cause any situation that could turn ugly," the bench further said.
The court issued a notice on the PIL and listed it for hearing on April 6.
Advocate Sanjay Lao, standing counsel for the Delhi Police, assured that adequate police personnel from Dwarka district, additional forces from the Delhi Police, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to ensure that Eid passes without any incident.
Since March 5, adequate police arrangements have been made on a 24-hour basis in Uttam Nagar's JJ colony and neighboring areas, and several preventive measures have been taken, Lao told the court.
He informed that eight companies of armed police personnel are present in all eleven areas under police stations in Dwarka district, and hundreds of police personnel are on vigil.
He further said that 50 inflammatory posts were taken down from social media platforms, and requests have been made to remove about 170 such posts.
Extensive verification has also been undertaken of over 8,000 people in the area, "aman committees" have been formed at every police station, and 30 meetings have been held with the heads of religious places in the last two weeks, the police counsel further said.
"Please tell the authorities not to be lax. Whatever happens in Delhi has its impact," the bench told the Delhi Police counsel.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Centre, said that the area is "saturated with security" and the police have done commendable work.
Senior advocate Nitya Ramkrishnan, who appeared for the petitioner, submitted that on March 15, certain people openly called for violence against members of the Muslim community in Uttam Nagar, but no action was taken for hate speech by the police.
The public interest litigation plea has said that the death of the man, Tarun, on Holi has been communalized through "coordinated dissemination of inflammatory content, mobilisation of crowds, and organisation of protests and public gatherings".
The plea has asserted that multiple rallies and assemblies organised across Delhi have openly incited violence against members of the Muslim community, specifically targeting the Eid festival, yet authorities have failed to take action.
Besides seeking directions for the maintenance of law and order in the area during Eid, the PIL has also prayed for the registration of FIRs against the "hundreds of hate-speech videos" related to the Uttam Nagar incident that are widely circulated on social media.
Several people, including a minor, have been apprehended in connection with the death of the 26-year-old man in a clash between two neighbouring families with long-standing disputes during Holi celebrations in southwest Delhi's Uttam Nagar.