Media projects lawlessness, please stop: Delhi police

A former chief justice of India will constitute the Commission of Inquiry which will look into the gangrape of a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus in Delhi, lapses by the police and measures to be taken to ensure the safety of women in Delhi and other parts of the country.

This was disclosed on Sunday by Special Commissioner of Police, Law and Order, Dharmendra Kumar at a press conference. He also said that the government has set up a three-member committee, which has former chief justice of India J S Verma as one of its members, to examine the possibility of enhancing punishment for rape laws.

He also said for fast track action in this incident, senior high court lawyer Dyan Krishnan will be a special prosecutor and ensure that the trial is finished within a short time.

On the demand for action against those responsible for the lack of protection to girls, Kumar said, "A commission of inquiry has been set up under a very senior retired Supreme Court chief justice".

"The former CJI is going to inquire into the entire episode -- as to why this thing happened and why it could not be prevented and what measures should be taken in Delhi and the rest of the country to improve the safety of women and to look into whether there were lapses or not," he said.

On the issue of enhancement of punishment for rape, he said the committee which was set up to look into the matter has Verma, Justice Lalita Seth and former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam as its members.

"Within a short time, they will examine the possibility of enhancing punishment for rape laws," Kumar said.

On the youth groups' demand for fast track action, he said lawyer Krishnan has volunteered to come forward as a special prosecutor and he will conduct day-to-day prosecution in this matter and ensure that the trial is finished in a short time.

"All the main demands of the public have been met. So we have been requesting them to maintain calm and peace," he said.

Appealing for peace, the Delhi police earlier blamed 'hooligans' for the violence during the protests against the gangrape and said unruly elements have 'hijacked' the peaceful demonstrations.

Kumar said the government has met all the demands of the protesters.

"There are many kind of hooligans, who are part of this protest, who are aiming at various kinds of benefits from this violence. We don't understand this violence and breaking of barricades and damaging vehicles when their demands are already being met. Hooligans have hijacked public sentiments and peaceful protest. What is the purpose? Please allow us to work on the issues. All the focus is now at this (containing this violence). Allow us to do our work," he said.

He said all the main demands of the protestors have been met and they are requesting people to maintain calm and peace.

"I appeal to the public to maintain calm and peace because this peaceful agitation which was organised by the janta has been hijacked by anti-social elements. They have broken the law, they have damaged vehicles, damaged public property," Kumar said.

The Delhi police have also sent a report expressing similar sentiments to the home ministry, justifying its repeated lobbing of teargas shells and use of force against protesters at India Gate.

Sources said the Delhi police informed the ministry that 'some vested interests' had joined the protesters and were instigating violence.

"Every demand has been conceded to. So now they should let us work. The way forward is if the media comes forward and tells the public that we should calm down, sit together, work in a manner and investigate properly, instead of engaging the police. Media keeps on projecting lawlessness and more and more are coming out and engaging in this," he said.