Pull down curtains so police can videograph Karbala land: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked an organisation managing the Karbala land in Jorbagh here to remove any temporary tents or curtains it may have put up to allow police videograph the site in its original form.

A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Siddharth Mridul also asked Delhi Police to permit Anjuman-e-Haideri to put up a tarp at one of the mosques there where prayers would be offered during Muharram.

The court, however, refused to permit any repair or construction activity there, saying these aspects can be gone into after Muharram is over. It directed police to videograph the area tomorrow, while Anjuman-e-Haideri has been ordered to remove the temporary curtains today itself.

It also reiterated its earlier directions to the police to videograph the site prior to putting up the temporary structures, after they are put up and after they are removed.

The court was hearing the matter again today, after Anjuman-e-Haideri mentioned before it in the morning that there was a fresh incident of vandalism yesterday and the bench thereafter sought presence of the Deputy Commissioner of Police responsible for the area.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain, who appeared for the police, said they could not videograph the area as a result of the temporary curtains put up there and further suggested that a joint inspection team can be constituted to inspect if any structures were damaged in Saturday's incident of stone pelting.

However, Anjuman-e-Haideri was not in favour of the joint inspection team. The court listed the matter for hearing on October 17 and directed the police as well as Anjuman-e-Haideri and residents of the area to ensure that peace is maintained there.