New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS): Amid slogans of "we want justice", hundreds of Delhi Police personnel on Tuesday staged an unprecedented protest against assault on their colleagues by lawyers at the Tis Hazari court on Saturday, prompting Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik to come out and issue statement of assurance of a "fair probe".
As the policemen, carrying placards, raised slogans for hours outside the Police Headquarters at ITO, Patnaik finally stepped out and told them that it was "testing times for us".
He urged the policemen to join back their duties and maintain peace.
A minor argument between a lawyer and some policemen over parking at the Tis Hazari court complex on Saturday flared up, leading to violence and arson. A lawyer was left with a bullet injury.
"Twenty policemen, including one Additional DCP and two SHOs, sustained injuries. Eight advocates were also hurt. 12 motorcycles, one police QRT gypsy and eight jail vans were damaged," the police had claimed.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police has submitted a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the violence at Tis Hazari court premises.
The Ministry, which directly controls Delhi Police, had sought the report from the Delhi Police just a day after the violent clashes.
A five-minute audio tape of a policeman, who was seriously injured in Saturday's violent clashes at Tis Hazari courts, has revealed that the lady Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) present on the spot was allegedly abused and roughed up by the lawyers and a desperate attempt was made to snatch away her PSO's service revolver.
While the PSO (Personal Security Officer called 'Operator' in Delhi police) was thrashed with iron chains and lay unconscious on the floor, the lady DCP, Monika Bhardwaj, broke down on Sunday and wept for quite some time, the audio clip revealed.
Reliable sources told IANS that the audio clip is part of a recorded telephone conversation between the injured PSO of the lady DCP and one of her office staff. The PSO disclosed over phone to IANS how the assault resulted in fracture in his shoulder and injuries in ribs and hands.