Delhi riots: HC asks police to list out measures taken to ensure medical treatment, rehabilitation of those affected by violence

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court asked the police on Monday to file a status report on measures taken by it for medical treatment and rehabilitation of violence-affected people in northeast Delhi.

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Delhi Police to submit a report on the measures taken by them in compliance with the court’s 26 February order by which certain directions were made for rehabilitation of victims.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on 30 April.

Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra informed the court about the rumours spread on Sunday evening about riots breaking out in other areas of the national capital and added that the police was doing a good job in tackling such rumours.

He also informed the court that the existing number of helplines are still not adequate to deal with the sheer number of calls that are being made by the victims.

The court was hearing a plea by Rahul Roy seeking urgent orders for safe passage of ambulances for the injured and rehabilitation of the violence-affected people.

At least 42 people died and more than 200 were injured during the communal violence in northeast Delhi related to Citizenship Amendment Act.

Advocate Suroor Mander, representing the petitioner, told the court that most amount of rehabilitation measures are being carried out by the community itself.

Citing the 26 February order, she said there are still major gaps, like setting of relief camps and sought court’s direction for the government to take over the rehabilitation measures such as setting up of relief camps.

During the hearing, Mehra submitted that advocate Zubeda Begum, who was appointed as amicus curiae by the court to coordinate between the victims and various agencies, has done a commendable job and sought for expanding the mandate of her work.

He also submitted that a legal service authority desk be put up in every police station here.

The court had on the intervening night of 25-26 February conducted a special hearing at the residence of Justice S Muralidhar after receiving a call from the advocate explaining the dire circumstances wherein it was not possible to move the violence hit victims from a small hospital to the GTB Hospital.

The court had then directed the police to ensure safe passage for the injured to government hospitals and providing emergency treatment for them.

It had directed the police to deploy all resources at command and on the strength of the order as well as to make sure the injured receive immediate emergency treatment, if not at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital then at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital (LNJP) or Maulana Azad or any other hospital.

It had also cautioned the authorities to remain alert so that the carnage caused during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots is not repeated.

The court had asked the police to ensure safe passage for fire tenders and ambulances to reach the spot.

It had said the police will ensure requisition of private ambulances and steps be taken in coordination with secretary (health) and fire services head and basic amenities including blankets, food, sanitation and clean drinking water shall be ensured in the shelter homes for victims displaced in the violence.

It had further asked the director of Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS) to provide sufficient number of qualified professionals to cater to the victims suffering from post trauma stress.