Delhi court orders CRPF deployment at Mirchpur in Haryana

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) A Delhi court today ordereddeployment of CRPF at Mirchpur village in Haryana to protectthe witnesses till they record their testimonies in the caserelating to the killing of Dalits there in 2010.

"I now direct that CRPF deployment at village Mirchpurshould be made preferably near the spot of the incident i.e.

around the Balmiki Basti and should continue till such timethe public witnesses in the case are examined till furtherorders of this court," Special Judge (SC/ST Act) Kamini Lausaid.

The court took exception to the belated deployment ofCRPF at the village where the community members of theaccused are protesting against the shifting of the trial fromHaryana to Delhi.

"CRPF deployment has also been made at the village by thegovernment of Haryana, though very belatedly, after agitationof the dominant class had spread across the state. Thismeasure, no doubt, could have been taken earlier," it said.

The Supreme Court had earlier directed that the caserelating to the killing of a 70-year-old Dalit man and hisphysically-challenged daughter allegedly by a mob of over 100upper caste people be transferred to the special court here toensure a free and fair trial.

During the hearing, Lau came down heavily on Delhigovernment for delay in appointing a special public prosecutorto conduct the trial in the case.

"The manner in which government of NCT of Delhi hasunduly delayed the appointment/ notification of the SpecialProsecutor for no obvious reasons only reflects theirnon-serious approach on the issue," the court said.

It directed the city government to appoint S PAhluwalia as special prosecutor, "in order to avoid any legalconflict/ irregularity and confusion at a later stage" as hehas already been notified by Haryana government to conductthe trial. TI ABA SJK