The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi Police to set up a special unit to tackle emergent as well as other safety and security situations arising in observation homes housing juveniles in conflict with law. A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and RV Easwar directed Delhi Police to “assess and put in place a mechanism” which would be “more in the nature of a special cell to cater not only to the emergent situations but also shoulder the other responsibilities”.
It did not concur with the proposal of Delhi Police, represented by Additional Solicitor General Siddharth luthra, that the command room, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, is equipped to tackle the situations arising in observation homes.
“It has not worked. We have had 6-7 incidents, three of them very violent,” the bench said, adding “eventually, there has to be a separate unit to take care of such situations. We are not looking at emergencies only. Initially, the unit can be created from within the police force. They can be educated and sensitised about the situation in observation homes. Eventually, there has to be a separate unit,” the court said.
Police also said that in order to seek assistance of the police, the person in charge of the observation home must do so with a written request. The court did not agree and said response time in jails is “lightening fast” whereas in observation homes it is not so as forms need to be filled up. However, the ASG said the police are trying to “get rid of the bureaucratic wrangle”.
In February this year, after some juveniles had escaped from an observation home here, the high court had directed the city government to immediately deploy DGR personnel at such probation homes. The government, however, had told the court that the same would take time as the modalities need to be worked out.