Gunshots disrupted the routine at the Rohini court on Monday, leaving the advocates, staff, public, and security officials shocked.
An undertrial was critically injured in the incident. Following the shootout, the Rohini Court Bar Association threatened to go on a strike from Wednesday, if their demand for entry passes was not accepted.
Advocate Satyanarayan Sharma, who witnessed the entire incident, said: "Panic gripped us after the incident. A huge crowd gathered as the accused was caught right after the incident."
"It was shocking to see something like that right in the morning. Following the incident, I could barely concentrate on my work for the rest of the day. I did not attend to any of my clients after the shootout. The scene was horrifying and scary. This is a huge security lapse. The accused should not have been able to bring a weapon inside the court in the first place," Sharma said. He added that the security of the court has never been stepped up, despite repeated requests.
Another lawyer, who was present in the court at the time of the incident, said they rushed out after hearing the gunshots and found a number of people gathered around a ramp near the canteen area. "We heard the shots and rushed out. There was a huge crowd and the number of policemen kept increasing. Soon, there was heavy deployment, which remained till late in the evening," he said.
According to advocate Mahavir Sharma, president of the Rohini Court Bar, an ultimatum of one day has been given to the authorities to start issuing entry passes. "If this is not done, the bar would go on an indefinite strike from November 15," he said.
The association also held a meeting with the District and Sessions Judges, besides meeting the police to raise their safety concerns.
It demanded a stop to entry of unauthorised vehicles in the court premises. "We are concerned about the safety and we are ready to allow frisking of lawyers," Sharma said.
WHAT HAPPENED
11.00 am Vinod alias Balle, arrested in a 2010 cheating case appears at Rohini court
11.15 am He was being escorted back by 3rd Batallion Delhi Armed Police after hearing
11.20 am Balle reaches a ramp near the canteen area, and Abdul Khan pulls out a pistol and opens fire at him. Bullet hits his abdomen
11.22 am Men from 3rd Batallion Delhi Armed Police overpower Khan and he is taken into custody
12.00pm Balle, who was rushed to Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, and is declared dead by doctors
PAST HORRORS
April 29, 2017
A prisoner was shot dead in the premises of Rohini court when he was being produced at the court for a hearing. The attacker, later identified as Mohit, opened fired when the deceased Rajesh, a criminal arrested in December 2016, appeared in court on charges of a murder.
December 2015
Three juveniles barged into a courtroom at Karkardooma court complex and shot at an undertrial, injuring him critically and leaving a constable in his security dead on the spot.
January 2014
A witness in an attempt to murder case on Thursday escaped unhurt when a man outside the Rohini district court’s complex opened fire at him.
