Bijnore courtroom murder: Allahabad HC takes cognizance, seeks reply

The Allahabad High Court Wednesday has taken suo moto cognizance of the murder inside a courtroom in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district.

The court has sought a reply from the Director General of Police (DGP) and the principal Home Secretary on this by December 20. The court has also asked the state government to produce its safety plan for the district courts.

The bench comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Sunit Kumar has said that the government must give a security plan for the court premises.

Meanwhile, the state government has suspended 19 police personnel for dereliction of duty and laxity which led to the murder inside the courtroom.

It may be recalled that on Tuesday, one under trial was killed and another seriously injured when three persons opened fire inside the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Bijnor district.

A court clerk, Munish, was also injured in the firing while the CJM had to run for cover to save himself.

The shooters surrendered inside the court after executing the killing.

According to reports, the CJM was hearing the case related to the murder of Bahaujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Ehsaan and his nephew Shadaab in the district court when the incident took place.

The accused in this double murder, Shahnawaz and Jabbar, had been brought for hearing by the Delhi police that had arrested them a few months ago.

Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Tyagi told reporters that Sahil, son of slain Ehsaan, reached the court along with two of his friends and opened fire indiscriminately at Shahnawaz and Jabbar. About 20 rounds were fired by them.

Shahnawaz died on the spot, but Jabbar apparently ran away, taking advantage of the ensuing confusion.

The police immediately surrounded the courtroom, but the assailants did not flee and gave themselves up to the police.IANS