Delhi govt mulling to file FIR of murder in slum demolition case

Delhi’s Home Minster Satyendra Jain on Sunday expressed shock on the demolition of a slum by railways which allegedly lead to death of a child and emphasised that Delhi government is contemplating to lodge an FIR of murder in the case.

“We are waiting post-mortem report of the child to ascertain cause of death. We will certainly lodge a FIR under Section 302 against the officers responsible for the death of the baby girl,” said Satyendra Jain after visiting the site at Shakur Basti in West Delhi. We have ordered inquiry by an officer of SDM level to fix the responsibilities of the officers involved in demolition and ascertain the cause of the death of the child,” he added. 

Jain himself was supervising the relief operation of Delhi government and emphasised that the tents will be erected on the same land from where over 500 families comprising around 2,000 people were displaced. “The railway officers told us only new shanties were demolished but here they demolished all even those who were around 10 years old,” he added.

Addressing a press conference on the issue, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said that there are repeated Supreme Court orders that no jhuggi settlements established before 2006 can be removed in the name of encroachment drives. 

He added by saying that the Modi government showed no respect of Supreme Court only to expose more than 2,000 poor people, including women and children to one of the coldest nights of the season. Special Provisions Act makes it mandatory to make rehabilitation arrangements in advance before any such drive, but the Railways did nothing.

He further said that he himself had met Railways Minister with deputy CM Manish Sisodia. He said, Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu had assured that no demolition will be allowed without rehabilitation.