Untoward incident in past can't preclude hanuman jayanti procession in jahangirpuri delhi hc

Untoward incident in past can't preclude hanuman jayanti procession in jahangirpuri delhi hc

New Delhi, The Delhi High Court has said untoward past occurrences cannot necessarily preclude holding events arising out of prevalent religious practices and asked Delhi Police to take call on allowing a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri.

Justice Sachin Datta was dealing with a plea against the police refusing permission to hold the procession on April 12.

‘Respondents are directed to endeavour to consider the said application and take an appropriate and timely decision. The authorities may bear in mind that occurrence of an untoward incident in the year 2022, cannot necessarily preclude holding of processions on religious occasions, as per the prevalent practice in the previous years,’ the court said.

Violent clashes broke out in Delhi's Jahangirpuri on April 16, 2022 between two groups during a Hanuman Jayanti procession that left eight police personnel and a civilian injured.

The police said following the incident, permission for a shobha yatra was not granted given the ‘volatile and uncertain situation’ in the area.

In its April 9 order, the court said it was not inclined to sit in appeal over the decision of the police authorities considering the law and order situation and asked the senior police officials to timely consider the plea seeking to hold a ‘limited procession’ on a new route.

‘It is incumbent on the respondents/police authorities to make adequate security arrangements for the said purpose. Let the matter be suitably examined by the senior officials of the Delhi Police and an appropriate decision be taken and communicated to the petitioner, prior to the date on which the procession is proposed to be held,’ it added.

The petitioner said he had been organising the Hanuman Jayanti procession since 2010, but ever since 2019, the authorities refused the approval.

The plea argued a route could be drawn up for holding a ‘limited’ procession, allaying the concerns of the police authorities for maintaining the law and order in the area.

The court asked the petitioner to submit a fresh application to the authorities for holding a procession on April 12, clearly setting out its route and duration.