Date:22/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092217600400.htm

New Delhi

Bidhuri demands judicial enquiry into police firing

Staff Reporter

`Withdraw cases registered against innocent people, ensure their release'

NEW DELHI: Terming it an `unfortunate incident', Nationalist Congress Party Delhi unit president and MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Thursday demanded a high-level judicial inquiry into the police firing that killed four innocent civilians during the Delhi bandh that turned violent on Wednesday.

Mr. Bidhuri, who toured the Seelampur area in East Delhi and met the families of those killed in the police firing, demanded immediate steps by the Government to take back cases registered against the innocent people and ensure their release from police custody as soon as possible.

Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh was also supposed to tour the affected area but was asked by the police not to do so as it could lead to a tense situation.

On the other hand, former Union Minister Vijay Goel also visited the Seelampur area and met the families of the victims of police firing. He also accused Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Diskhit of failure to protect the life and property of citizens and demanded her resignation.

Stating that nothing short of a judicial inquiry would satisfy the NCP, Mr. Bidhuri said it was unfortunate that people who were struggling for their livelihood were being subjected to brutal force. Describing the situation in Seelampur and other parts of Delhi as very tense, Mr. Bidhuri demanded that the Centre should not wait any longer for more violence to take place or for more people to die and initiate steps to convene a special session of Parliament to sort out the issue of sealing and demolitions in the Capital.

Mr. Bidhuri said if necessary the Centre should come out with a fresh legislation or Constitutional amendment taking the whole issue out of the preview of courts. He welcomed the statement of Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy that the Government would fight for implementation of its latest notification.

At the same time, Mr. Bidhuri demanded that all those killed in the police firing be paid Rs. 10 lakhs as compensation and those seriously injured Rs. 5 lakhs each. "In addition, the Delhi Government should bear all the expenses for treatment of the injured."