Days after the firing at Rohini court which led to death of three people, the Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police among other stakeholders seeking suggestions on maintaining security on court premises. The high court asked the respondents to submit their suggestions in the form of an affidavit and also stated that there was a need for a sufficient number of police personnel on the premises and installation of CCTV cameras to increase security.
A bench headed by chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh said that besides proper and effective deployment of sufficient number of police personnel and installation of close-circuit cameras, the entry system also needed to be a foolproof one. Installation of high-tech metal detectors and baggage scanners was required, the HC further said.
“We have taken suo motu cognizance of the incident which took place in Rohini court. This court wants valuable suggestions from respondents for security at all court complexes in Delhi,” said the chief justice.
The shootout at the Rohini court that left jailed gangster Jitender Gogi and his two assailants posing as lawyers dead had drawn national attention towards the safety of citizens at courts.
Video footage of the dramatic shootout showed policemen and lawyers rushing out in panic as gunshots rang out inside courtroom number 207.
The two gunmen dressed as lawyers are suspected to be members of rival Tillu gang, an official had said, adding that over 30 shots were fired.
Noting the incident, on September 27, an application was filed urging the high court to direct the Delhi Police to increase security personnel (in consonance with the sanctioned strength) on premises of lower courts and make functional already installed security apparatus such as X-Ray machines, close-circuit cameras and metal detectors.
