Tillu Tajpuriya Murder Case: The High Court said that it was a "totally unacceptable state of affairs".
The Delhi High Court today pulled up Tihar jail officials for failing to stop the brutal murder of gangster Tillu Tajpuriya inside the prison complex, and sought a status report from the jail administration. It also ordered the Jail Superintendent to be personally present in the Court.
Justice Jasmeet Singh said the court is unable to comprehend why no steps were taken by authorities if the incident was captured on CCTV cameras inside the jail. He also asked how four knives were present in the jail complex.
Justice Singh saw the shocking CCTV footage, which showed 33-year-old Tajpuriya being taken out of his cell and stabbed to death.
The High Court said that it was a "totally unacceptable state of affairs".
The attackers had fashioned knives out of an exhaust fan, used bedsheets to climb down a floor and barged into his cell to beat him to death, police sources told NDTV.
The court was hearing a petition moved by Tajpuriya's father and brother seeking a CBI probe in the murder, and also protection for them. Justice Jasmeet Singh asked the Delhi Police to consider providing security.
The High Court has also ordered the public prosecutor to explain the responsibility and accountability of the officers responsible for the lapse.
Tillu Tajpuriya, who was allegedly behind the killing of another gangster, Jitenger Gogi, inside a Delhi court in 2021, was stabbed to death with sharp-edged weapons inside Tihar jail on May 2.
The CCTV clip showed four personnel dragging the wounded gangster moments after he had been stabbed some 90 times by members of a rival gang.
Two men suddenly attack Tillu Tajpuriya again, and after what appears to be a weak attempt at preventing them, the policemen hang back, watching the dying man being pummeled.
Three men take turns pounding the body, and one of them throws in a vicious kick as Tillu Tajpuriya apparently goes still. The timestamp shows 6.15 am on May 2 (Tuesday).
Tillu Tajpuria's body had close to 100 injury marks.
Seven personnel of the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TNSP), who were on duty at the Tihar prison cell when Tillu Tajpuriya was stabbed to death, have been suspended and will be sent back to Tamil Nadu for allegedly standing as mute spectators at the time of the incident.