The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted police protection to interfaith couple and the Dalit Hindu man’s family after a Muslim mob attacked a whole basti of Dalit Hindu families at Sarai Kale Khan incensed with the marriage of Dalit Hindu youth with a Muslim girl.

They also requested in the petition for deployment of Rapid Action Force in the colony to ensure that the situation does not spark communal riots.

The couple were represented by Advocate Monika Arora who averred that the man and woman were consenting adults and got married of their free volition. Monika Arora also informed the court about how a violent Muslim mob attacked the Dalit Hindu boy’s home and several other Hindu homes in their colony to punish them for the interfaith marriage.

The counsel also showed photographs of the severely injured victims of mob violence with serious stab injuries.

The petition stated that the, “CCTV footage of the area shows the mob entering the narrow lanes and breaking pots and coolers, pelting stones and banging doors to threaten the petitioner no.2 (Dalit Hindu youth), his family and neighbours while people could be heard screaming from inside. Another video shows damaged bikes and cycles lying on the street”.

The plea also pointed out the fact that the petitioner Muslim woman is an adult and is free to exercise her choice and her family should not harass her for marrying a man from the Hindu community.

Monika Arora pointed out to the court that houses of Dalits were attacked and casteist slanders were hurled by the violent Muslim mob at the Dalit Hindus in the colony, yet the police has not invoked the provisions of the SC/ST Act in the FIR.

The counsel of police insisted that the relevant SC/ST have been invoked in the matter and an ACP level officer is investigating the case.

The petition also sought for direction to the State government payment of appropriate compensation to them under the SC/ST Act.

Notably, the 22 year-old Dalit Hindu man and the 19 year old Muslim girl married secretly on 17th March, on 20th March the girl registered her statement to the local police station, where a mob of Muslim goondas along with the girl’s family threatened and abused the Hindu boy and his family right in front of the police.

The police then took the couple and the boy’s family inside the station for their protection from the aggressive Muslim mob. The interfaith couple and the man’s family took refuge somewhere else and did not return home as they feared attack on them by the aggressive girl’s family and local Muslim goondas.

A Muslim mob of 50 went on a rampage late night on 20th March with the intention to kill the interfaith couple and the man’s family at the Harijan basti in Sarai Kale Khan, on not finding them at home, they attacked their house and all the other Hindu Hindu homes in the colony. The mob attacked men and women with sticks, stones, swords and knifes as per ground reports by Kreately media.

The police have reportedly arrested only four persons in the matter.

News input for court update: PTI

 

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