HC grants protection to interfaith couple after mob attack

The Delhi high court Tuesday granted police protection to an interfaith couple, who got married recently and fear for their life after their house was attacked by a mob on March 20.

Justice Anu Malhotra directed the police to file a status report in the case and listed the matter for further hearing on April 6.

The high court was hearing the petition by the couple, who were also present, urging the court to provide police protection to them and the man's family as after the attack they feel unsafe in their locality.

They sought direction that Rapid Action Force be deployed in the sensitive area to ensure that the situation should not erupt into a communal riot.

Advocate Monika Arora, representing the couple, said the man and the woman are consenting adults and got married of their own free will and their house was attacked by a mob of around 50 people.

The counsel also showed photographs of injured persons, who received stab injured in the attack.

'CCTV footage of the area shows the mob entering the narrow lanes and breaking pots and coolers, pelting stones and banging doors to threaten petitioner no. 2 (man), his family and neighbours while people could be heard screaming from inside. Another video shows damaged bikes and cycles lying on the street,' said the petition, filed through advocates Manish Kumar, Akaksh Vajpai, Riddhima Gaur and Archit Vasudev.

The plea said the petitioner woman is an adult and is free to take her decisions and her family should not harass her just because she married a man from another community.

Arora submitted before the court that houses of Dalits were attacked and casteist slurs were made by the violent mob but the police has not invoked the provisions of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in the first information report.

Advocate Nandita Rao, representing the police, said the relevant provisions of the SC/ST Act have been invoked in the case and an officer of ACP level is investigating the matter.

The police also told the court that 10 armed police officials have been deputed outside the house of the victims.

The petitioners have also sought a direction to the state government to pay appropriate compensation to them under the SC/ST Act.

While the 19-year-old woman and 22-year-old man got married on March 17, the attack took place on the night of March 20 in south east Delhi's Harijan Basti in Sarai Kale Khan.

Police has arrested four persons in connection with the case.