Delhi Police-Lawyers Clash: Centre Closely Monitoring Situation, Cops Submit Report

The Union Home Ministry is closely monitoring the situation in Delhi where a section of police personnel and their families are staging protests demanding justice in the wake of clashes between lawyers and police at Tis Hazari court in the national capital, a top Home Ministry official said on Tuesday.

The Centre also received a report from the Delhi Police on Saturday's clash between lawyers and police at the Tis Hazari court complex in which at least 20 security personnel and several advocates were injured.

"We are closely monitoring the situation in Delhi. A judicial inquiry has been ordered. Let us wait for the outcome of the inquiry," the official said.

The inquiry was ordered by the Delhi High Court on Sunday and the report has to be submitted within six weeks.

The factual report of Delhi Police was submitted incorporating the details of the Tis Hazari court incident. It is a factual report in which Delhi Police has given details of the circumstances leading to Saturday's incident and the action taken after it, a Home Ministry official said.

However, the report does not cover what happened after Saturday, including an incident on Monday in which a group of lawyers assaulted a policeman outside the Saket court, he said.

Following the incidents, hundreds of police personnel gathered in protest outside the police headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Holding placards that read "We are human in police uniforms" and "Protectors Need Protection", the protesting police personnel gathered outside the police headquarters at ITO and urged their seniors to stand with them to save the honour of the uniform.

Family members of the policemen were also joined the protesting police personnel later in the day.

Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik urged protesting police personnel to return to work and said they should 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," Patnaik told the police personnel, adding that their concerns will be addressed. 

(With PTI inputs)