New Delhi, February 26: Expressing concern over the "sad state of affairs" in the national capital, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday said it cannot allow another riots akin to the 1984 tragedy be repeated in the country. The bench's remark came while hearing the pleas seeking FIR against former MLA and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra, accused of instigating the violence in North East Delhi. Delhi Violence: PM Narendra Modi Appeals to People in National Capital to Maintain Peace and Brotherhood.

"We cannot let another 1984 happen in this country. Not under the watch of this court," the HC bench comprising of Justices S Muralidhar and Talwant Singh. They referred to the anti-Sikh pogrom in the national capital 36 years ago, which led to the killing of over 3,350 members of the minority community.

Update by ANI

In view of the large-scale violence which affected parts of the national capital, the High Court has directed the immediate setting up of helpline numbers for victims. The bench also ordered the police to provide safe passage to private as well as government hospital ambulances. It also directed the set up of shelters for rehabilitation along with basic facilities.

Police Says Haven't Seen Kapil Mishra's Video

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), who was asked by the bench whether he has seen the video of Kapil Mishra in which he could be heard instigating a crowd to "hit the streets" if the anti-CAA protesters do not vacate by Wednesday, said the clip was not viewed by him yet.

The police official's reply drew a sharp ire from the court, which remarked how could he be not aware of such a video despite having access to all information mediums. "There are so many TVs in your office, how can a police officer say that he hasn't watched the videos? I'm really appalled by the state of affairs of Delhi Police," the bench reportedly said.

Death Toll Mounts to 21

The death toll in Delhi violence jumped to 21 by the time this report was published, with another fatality being confirmed at the Guru Tegh Bahadur (GTB) Hospital. The first death was reported in the clashes on Monday, with the casualty counts rising throughout Tuesday. The cases of death confirmed today are of those victims who were admitted in critical conditions over the past two days.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 26, 2020 03:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).