The Delhi High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a petition later in the day seeking directions to the Delhi Police to patroling and strengthen security in Uttam Nagar. The plea comes amid concerns of possible unrest raised by members of the Muslim community following the killing of a 26-year-old man during Holi, especially with Eid approaching.
The petition was filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) and was mentioned by senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishna before a bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia.
Ramakrishna urged the court to hear the matter urgently, citing multiple threats of violence circulating on social media ahead of Eid. She told the court that despite approaching the police, no concrete action had been taken. She also highlighted that Eid is expected to fall on Friday or Saturday, raising immediate concerns.
“Widespread threats of violence have been issued for Eid on social media. Meetings have been held where statements like ‘Khoon ki Holi hum Eid pe khelenge’ were made. We approached the police, but no action has been taken. We fear serious violence around Eid,” she submitted.
Taking note of these concerns, the court agreed to list the matter for hearing later in the day.
The tensions trace back to a clash between two families on March 4, when an 11-year-old girl allegedly threw a water balloon from her terrace that hit a Muslim woman. The incident escalated into a violent altercation, leaving eight people injured. A 26-year-old man, Tarun Kumar, later died from his injuries. An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
