SC takes suo motu cognisance after woman official shot dead in Kasauli

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo moto cognisance of the incident where an Assistant Town and Country Planning officer, leading a demolition drive against unauthorised construction in Dharampur area of Solan district, was shot dead by a hotelier.

The top court also rapped the state government for not providing adequate security to the woman officer.

The court, during the hearing, also observed that it is a very serious issue as the accused had allegedly killed the woman official in broad daylight and the police could not arrest him.

Shailbala Sharma (51), along with four teams of the Town and Country Planning Department, were razing unauthorised construction in the area, on the order of the High Court, when the incident took place on Tuesday.

When Sharma and her team reached Narayani Guest House, its owner Vijay Singh asked them to keep off his property. When the team went ahead with the demolition and tried to get the place evacuated, Singh opened fire on them.