Sajjan acquittal: Protestor flings shoe at judge

Unhappy with the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in an anti-Sikh riots case, a man hurled a shoe at the judge as protests erupted inside and outside Karkardooma court in New Delhi on Tuesday after pronouncement of the verdict, with police detaining several people.

Protesters gave a tough time to police as they tried to enter the court complex Tuesday afternoon. A large number of people had gathered outside the court before the pronouncement of the verdict and tried to enter the courts but police prevented them.

Anticipating trouble, police had deployed personnel in strength and barricaded the area but some of the protesters managed to enter the complex. However, they could not enter the courtroom.

As soon as the judge acquitted the Congress leader while convicting five persons, angry protesters shouted slogans against Kumar and tried to enter the complex.

Complainant Jagdish Kaur sat on protest inside the courtroom saying she would not leave until justice is done.

One of the victims, who lost her son and husband in the riots after the assassination of the them Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, said there was "no justice" for them.

"There is no justice for us. My son was killed, my husband along with his brothers were killed. There was reign of terror for three days (during the riots). People were burnt alive," the victim said.

Police detained several protesters, including the one who threw a shoe at District and Sessions Judge J R Aryan after the pronouncement of the judgement.

Image: Sikh protestors demonsrate outside a court in Delhi during a hearing on the 1984 riots case

Photograph: Reuters