New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today sought to know from the AAP government and the police measures they have taken on a plea seeking a ban on loudspeakers atop religious structures in the national capital.

 

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also directed the Delhi Police to place before it the standing order, that they have claimed to have issued, with regard to usage of loudspeaker at religious places.

 

It further directed the state government and the police to positively file an affidavit before it on the next date of hearing, April 18, explaining steps they have taken to publicise the order.

 

The bench further said publicity is important as people have to know norms and consequences in case of violation.

 

The court was 

 

hearing a PIL, filed by an activist Sanjiv Kumaar, which said banning of loudspeakers will not violate Article 25 or 26 (Articles on Freedom of Religion) of the Constitution.

 

The plea said loudspeakers were never part of any religion as the instrument came into existence only in 1924.

 

He also claimed in his plea that loudspeakers were never part of any religion whether Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism or Zoroastrianism.

 

The petition also said the use of loudspeakers takes away the right of the citizens to speak with others, their right to read or think or the right to sleep.

 

The plea has sought directions to the authorities to remove loudspeakers atop any religious structures, saying they violated citizens' rights including those of minors and elderly people.

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Ranchi (PTI): A 60-year-old security guard of a temple in Ranchi was bludgeoned to death with a stone during a robbery attempt, police said on Saturday.

The incident happened late on Thursday at the Jagannath Temple in the Dhurwa Smart City area, they said.

"Three persons were arrested on Friday for killing the security guard. They confessed to the crime and told police that the victim had identified them. Therefore, in fear of being caught, they killed him by attacking him with a stone on his head," SSP Rakesh Ranjan said.

"Thereafter, they took money from the donation box and fled the scene. Two of them have criminal antecedents," he added.

Ranjan said the investigators recovered Rs 3 lakh in cash that had been robbed, the stone with blood-stained marks, and the iron rod used to break open the lock of the donation box kept there.

An FIR in this regard was lodged at the Dhurwa police station, he said, adding that the accused were sent to judicial custody by a court.