Beaten and bruised : Delhi police demand justice

New Delhi: Delhi policemen, protesting against the Delhi High Court order in connection with a clash between cops and lawyers at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex, ended their stir late on Tuesday after top officers assured them that their demands will be fulfilled.

Special Commissioner of Delhi Police (Crime) Satish Golcha had urged protesting policemen to end stir and resume duty, while assuring them a review petition will be filed against the Delhi High Court order in connection with a clash between cops and lawyers at the Tis Hazari Courts Complex.

Addressing the protesting policemen, Golcha said the injured policemen will get an ex gratia of at least Rs 25,000. He urged the policemen to end stir and resume duties.

Earlier, Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik's appeal to protesting cops to resume duties fell on deaf ears as chants of 'Police Commissioner Kaisa Ho, Kiran Bedi Jaisa Ho' reverberated at the police headquarters.

Policemen ditched their khakis and donned civilian clothes as they gathered outside the headquarters to protest Saturday's violence between advocates and lawyers at the Tis Hazari Court and the subsequent assault on a cop outside a court in Saket on Monday.

Families of Delhi Police personnel are expected to shortly reach India Gate to protest.

Addressing the cops, Patnaik said: "In the last few days, there have been certain incidents in the Capital that we handled very well. People have expectations from us and we should behave in a disciplined manner like we have always do. A judicial inquiry is looking into the matter."

The Delhi Police chief assured of a "fair probe", calling it "testing time for us". But most importantly, he asked them to end stir and join back work.

Giving a pep talk and reminding the force of their "duty", Patnaik said, "We have to behave like a disciplined force. The government and the people expect us to uphold the law, it is our big responsibility. I urge you to resume duty."

But those words of advice didn't cut much ice with the protest refusing to end. A clear divide between the Seniors and Junior erupted with the many protesting policemen alleging that the top officers failed to stand by them even as they were thrashed by lawyers.

"If you beat up a cop in uniform, it's not the person who is beaten up but the uniform that is humiliated. This will only ensure breakdown of law and order," said a protesting police officer to media.

The overwhelming feeling from the unprecedented protest that is refusing to die down is the Police Commissioner's word of comfort was "too little, too late".

One policeman went ahead and demanded a fair play from the courts as well, "Did only lawyers who were thrashed who were admitted to AIIMS. We want the court to hear us out as well."

A minor argument between a lawyer and some policemen over parking at the Tis Hazari court complex on Saturday flared up, leading to violence and arson. A lawyer was left with a bullet injury.

"Twenty policemen, including one Additional DCP and two SHOs, sustained injuries. Eight advocates were also hurt. 12 motorcycles, one police QRT gypsy and eight jail vans were damaged," the police had claimed.

As Patnaik left the venue, the number of protestors only grew with minute. Many family members and their kids too came to the venue sporting black band, as a mark of protest.

"Whatever is happening to cops should not have happened. It's a fight for justice, it's a fight for dignity", said a lady who identified herself as a family member of a protesting cop.

The Delhi Police on Tuesday submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the violence at Tis Hazari court premises. The Ministry, which directly controls Delhi Police, had sought the report from the Delhi Police just a day after the violent clashes.

A five-minute audio tape of a policeman, who was seriously injured in Saturday's violent clashes at Tis Hazari courts, has revealed that the lady Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) present on the spot was allegedly abused and roughed up by the lawyers and a desperate attempt was made to snatch away her PSO's service revolver.

But as men in khaki came to streets and the law enforcers demanded 'justice' and 'human rights', the sentiments were raw. But the optics of it has left the nation shocked.