Are undertrials at court premises sitting ducks?

NEW DELHI: After Monday's deadly shooting within the Rohini Court complex, where an undertrial was killed, questions are being raised over the security of prisoners and undertrials within court premises, where they have to be produced for hearing.

Undertrails and convicts produced at city courts are seemingly becoming easy targets for rivals criminals and contract killers.

Over the years, incidents of gangsters escorted by cops being murdered in broad daylight have become frequent.

In April, a 38-year-old undertrial Rajesh was gunned down by two people outside gate number three of Rohini court.

Rajesh was reportedly a member of the Neeraj Bawana gang and was wanted in more than 16 cases of robbery, murder and dacoity.

Though Delhi Police apprehended the shooters in the case, the incident raised questions over the security cover provided to the deceased criminal.

In 2015, a head constable of Delhi Police was killed and several others injured when four armed assailants opened fire inside a courtroom at Karkardooma Court Complex in East Delhi.

The most pertinent question is how these assailants and contract killers manage to dodge security check at the court gates and successfully enter the premises with a weapon.

Hilal Haider, a Supreme Court advocate, notes, "It is clear that there is severe security lapse in lower courts. Killers managing to sneak in weapons should be a major area of concern for the police in-chage of providing security cover to the courts."

"Recent incidents have raised questions over the effeciency of the security cover in the courts," Haider added.

Such incidents reveal a desperate need for police to reorganise its security strategy in and around court premises, as too many criminals have managed to dodge security.