Scribes move court for compensation from Raza Academy

Two members of Deshbhakta Patrakar Sangh have petitioned Bombay High Court (HC) seeking intervention to compensate media organisations whose equipment was damaged in the August 11 Azad Maidan violence.

Sanket Satope and Uday Joshi have demanded that the district magistrate be directed to probe the incident under section 51 of Bombay Police Act, 1951, which deals with "compensation for injury caused by unlawful assembly".

They also demanded that HC pass orders to set a deadline for completion of the inquiry. Their petition notes that Raza Academy, which organised the Azad Maidan protest, had earlier held a similar rally on the issue of a burial ground built on a disputed land. Then too, it says, two policemen were killed in violence.

"The background of Raza Academy is being overlooked by police." The PIL refers to newspaper reports that the rioters carried iron rods and hockey sticks to the venue. The protesters allegedly burnt three OB vans and four police vans, besides damaging several other vehicles.

Arvind Pansare, an office-bearer of Deshbhakta Patrakar Sangh, told Newsline, "More than a month has passed since the incident, but no compensation has been ordered for vehicles damaged in the violence. We believe police are not willing to take any action on this front, which is why we have approached the court."

Raza Academy could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.

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