New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will not further inquire into the police crackdown on yoga guru Ramdev's protest at Ramlila Maidan in June as the Supreme Court is seized of the matter.
The decision was taken by the NHRC recently after the Delhi Police informed the rights body that the apex court had taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and was dealing with it.
"(With) the Supreme Court being seized of the matter, this commission would desist from making further inquiry in the incident...Copy of any further order passed by the Supreme Court in the matter should also be forwarded to the commission," the NHRC had said in its order.
It had also expressed concern over the health of Rajbala, who was severely injured in the incident and died last week, and asked Delhi Chief Secretary to inform it about the status of her health.
The Chief Secretary should also inform the Commission if the Delhi government had provided any ex-gratia relief to her, the commission had said in its order.
However, the Delhi government failed to meet the September 23 deadline set by the NHRC on filing the report in this regard. She died in hospital on September 26.
The NHRC had on June six, two days after the police crackdown at Ramlila Maidan, asked the Centre, Delhi government and Delhi Police to submit reports within two weeks.
Delhi Police in its two reports submitted on June 17 and 23 had pointed out that the Supreme Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident, following which the decision to "desist from any further inquiry" was taken.
Serving the notice in June, the NHRC had said it was "pained to see media reports and complaints alleging unconstitutional police action at midnight involving shelling
of tear gas shells, lathicharge and forceful eviction of a large number of people sleeping under the pandal."
In its second report, Delhi Police said that permission was granted to Bharat Swabhiman Trust, subject to certain conditions, to organise a yoga training camp for 4,000 to 5,000 people, to be conducted by Ramdev during June 01-20.
"However, the event was converted into a Satyagraha with a large gathering which swelled to more than 50,000. Also, there were intelligence reports indicating threats to Ramdev and apprehension of breach of peace due to close proximity with communally hypersensitive localities around the venue.”
"Hence, it was considered expedient to cancel the permission and impose prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC. The organisers were requested to remove themselves from the area. The request was not complied with and Ramdev jumped into the crowd of supporters, which created a commotion and this resulted in a melee and skirmishes with the police," the report said.
Eighty-six people, including 38 police personnel, had sustained injuries in the incident.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, October 02, 2011, 12:07