The Delhi High Court has ordered [pdf] the police to ensure that a temple situated at Noor Nagar extension in south Delhi’s Jamia Nagar is “protected”, “maintained” and not encroached upon by any miscreants.
The order came in the wake of a petition filed by the 206 ward committee of Jamia Nagar, seeking directions to the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to stop the demolition and illegal encroachment of the mandir and Dharamshala. The petitioner had also sought directions from the court to direct Delhi Police to ensure that the temple is not encroached upon or demolished by miscreants.
Ordering that the layout of the temple must be ensured to be protected, Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also asked the police to ensure that there is no law and order issue in the area concerned.
“Petition is accordingly disposed of, directing the respondents to ensure that there is no issue of law and order in the area and the area depicted as mandir in the layout plan is protected and maintained as a mandir and no encroachment by any miscreant is permitted on the same,” the judge said.
The petitioner had submitted that a part of the temple premises which housed a dharamshala had been hastily demolished overnight and the entire area had been levelled so that the same can be encroached upon by illegal miscreants. Photographs were shared to show that demolition had taken place.
However, the Corporation said it had not undertaken any demolition activity and that the issue pertained to law and order and protection of the area, which would be under the ambit of Delhi Police’s responsibility. It further added that when the property was inspected, no construction activity was also found on the subject area.
The police, on the other hand, assured the court that they will not allow any encroachment to take place on the said area and the area demarcated as a temple in the layout plan shared during the hearing will be preserved and protected. The counsel representing Delhi Police also ensured that there will be no law and order issue in the region.
