Memraj, father of Tarun, who was killed in a fight over a water balloon in Uttam Nagar in Delhi. (Express photo by Gajendra Yadav)The Delhi High Court Thursday closed a plea seeking police protection by the family members of the 26-year-old killed in Uttam Nagar on Holi, with an instruction to the police to provide them a direct line to the local SHO to contact when in distress.Justice Girish Kathpalia requested the additional DCP to direct the SHO concerned to provide his personal mobile phone number to the petitioners “so that they may contact him at the time of distress”.Tarun Kumar was killed in March after a fight over a water balloon escalated, and his murder had taken a communal turn.The court was informed by one of the petitioners, Laxmi Devi, a family member of Tarun, that on April 13, “few unknown women with faces covered” threatened her. It was alleged that the husband of one of them allegedly broke the lock of the gate of a house and took away the belongings on April 9.Dwarka Police, on the other hand, told the court that CCTV cameras have been installed in the lane where the petitioners live as well as in surrounding blocks, and police pickets have been created to ensure communal harmony, including a picket in front of the petitioner’s house.Police informed the court that for the complaint pertaining to the threat on April 13, the local police has already collected relevant material, including video footage, which is being “examined for appropriate action”. They also said an officer of ACP rank is carrying out an inquiry.The petition also sought that communally provocative videos pertaining to the incident be taken down from all social media platforms.Story continues below this adIn this regard, the Additional DCP of Dwarka informed the court that they have already pulled down “more than 250 inflammatory videos contents from social media platforms”.On March 19, the Delhi HC, acting on a PIL expressing fear of communal incidents ahead of Eid in the backdrop of the Uttam Nagar murder, had directed the police and civil administration “to take all required action permissible under law” to ensure that the situation in Uttam Nagar “does not take any ugly turn”, and that “an atmosphere is created of peaceful and dignified celebration of Eid”.The PIL had flagged that there are hateful and provocative speeches being made targeting Muslims ahead of Eid.Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:delhi high court