LUCKNOW: Taking a suo moto cognizance of the murder inside a courtroom in Bijnor district of western UP, the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday issued notices to UP DGP and Principal Secretary, Home, seeking their reply over the incident till Friday, December 20.
The court even directed the state authorities to produce the state government’s safety plan vis-a-vis courts on the day of the hearing.
Three assailants had shot dead an undertrial Shanawaz and injured another Jabbar right in front to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) on the CJM court premises in Bijnor on Tuesday. Deceased Shanawaz happened to be the main accused in a murder case which had taken place in Najibabad under Bijnor district in May, this year. The incident, on Wednesday, took place while the hearing in the murder case was on in the CJM court.
As per the police sources, the incident was a retaliation of the twin murders of BSP leader Haji Ehsan Ansari and his nephew in Najibabad on May 28. The police had arrested a dozen persons including the main accused Shanawaz and his accomplice Jabbar in connection with the case. A court clerk, Munish, was also injured in the firing while CJM Yogesh Kumar had to run for cover to save himself. The shooters then surrendered inside the court after executing the crime.
Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Tyagi told reporters that son of slain Ehsan, reached the court along with two of his friends and opened fire indiscriminately at Shahnawaz and Jabbar. About 20 rounds were fired by them.
While Shahnawaz died on the spot, Jabbar apparently ran away in the melee.
The Allahabad High Court bench, comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Sunit Kumar, asked the government authorities to come prepared with a security plan for the court premises.
However, the state government suspended 19 police personnel for dereliction of duty and laxity which led to the murder inside the courtroom. The police immediately surrounded the courtroom, but the assailants did not flee and gave themselves up to the police.
On the other, there was a huge furore over the Bjinor killing by the opposition including SP, BSP and Congress lawmakers in both the house of the state legislature which is in winter session currently. Creating a din in the assembly, the opposition MLAs were protesting in the well of the house leading to an adjournment till 12 noon.
As the house re-assembled, UP CM Yogi Adityanath responded to the members’ concern over the state’s law and order scenario with special reference to Bijnor incident. The CM reiterated his stand saying that his government was committed to ensure the security and safety of all the institutions including judiciary in the state. “We will not tolerate such hooliganism and disorderliness. The incidents like the one happened in Bijnor are unacceptable. We are fully prepared with the security plan for courts and judicial institutions,” maintained the CM.
Yogi Adityanath claimed that he was ready to implement the courts’ safety plan with the consent of the judiciary in the state. “If anyone has committed a murder, he will not be spared at all,” he added.