Public suit seeks security for night shift workers

NEW DELHI: A public suit was filed in the Delhi High Court on Thursday seeking better security for those who work on night shifts in the capital and its suburbs.

Filing the suit, advocate Sanjiv Kumar Singh said the number of murders have gone up in the capital due to the failure of the Delhi Police and sought a direction to central government and the Delhi government to ensure safety of those who work on night shifts.

The petitioner also referred to the murder of television journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, who was killed in the early hours while returning home from her office.

“In case security is not tightened, especially for those who attend night duties in call centres, BPOs, multinational companies and TV channels, the death toll of innocent persons will increase...,” he said in the petition, which is likely to be listed for hearing next week.

The petitioner also sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into Vishwanathan's murder and sought a direction to the government to compensate the family.

Viswanathan was shot dead while driving from her Jhandewalan office to her Vasant Kunj residence in Delhi in the early hours of Sep 30.