Gulab Singh, a worker of the Public Works Departmant of the Himachal Pradesh government, who had suffered a bullet injury when the Kasauli assistant town planner Shail Bala was shot dead on May 1, died at the PGIMER, Chandigarh. Gulab Singh was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital and breathed his last on Sunday morning.
A hotelier, Vijay Singh had went on a rampage when a team of government officials turned up at his property to demolish the illegal parts on the directions of the Supreme Court. Assistant Town Planner Shail Bala had died on the spot, while Gulab Singh was taken to PGI, Chandigarh.
The accused is the owner of Narayani Guest House. The accused absconded after committing the crime. The bullet had hit the officer in the back and pierced through her chest. She was heading the team that had gone to demolish illegal portions of the property.
Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has expressed grief on the death of Gulab Singh. In a tweet, the CM said his government was with the bereaved family in this hour of sorrow.
कसौली में घायल हुए एवं पीजीआई में उपचाराधीन गुलाब सिंह की मौत का दुखद समाचार प्राप्त हुआ । मृतक के लिए शोक एवं परिवारजनो के प्रति संवेदना प्रकट करता हूँ । सरकार इस दुखद घड़ी में परिवार के साथ ख़ड़ी है ।
— Jairam Thakur (@jairamthakurbjp) May 13, 2018
On April 17, the Supreme Court had ordered demolition of illegal constructions at several hotels and resorts in Kasauli, saying the life of people cannot be endangered for making money.
Also Read: Kasauli murder: Himachal Gaurav Purskar for assistant town planner Shail Bala
The apex court had observed that the illegal constructions had put the entire city in danger, causing landslides, and ordered the demolition of such constructions.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta had also observed that some hotels and resorts were supposed to construct only two-storeyed buildings but six-storeyed ones existed there.
“You just demolish it (unauthorised constructions). What is going on? You are admitting that you were supposed to make only two-storeyed building. There was landslide in your premises and you did nothing. You are putting the life of people to danger. For what? Money,” the bench observed while hearing the plea filed by one of the hotels.
Also Read: Death of officer in Kasauli due to non-implementation of law: Supreme Court
Owners of several hotels, resorts and guest houses in Kasauli had approached the apex court challenging the National Green Tribunal (NGT) order to demolish or close down several such establishments which were extended illegally without approvals.
During the hearing, an advocate, representing some of the hotels, admitted the existence of unauthorised constructions. “You demolish it. You are admitting that there are unauthorised constructions,” the bench observed and directed the authorities concerned to demolish it.
When one of the counsels referred to an apex court order in a matter related to Manali in Himachal Pradesh, the bench said, “either you demolish it (unauthorised constructions) or we will ask the authorities to demolish it. It is your choice. No instructions are needed. Let the authorities demolish it”.
Advocate Sumeer Sodhi, appearing for some of the hotel owners, raised some factual issues regarding the NGT order but the bench reasserted that the unauthorised constructions would have to be demolished.
The NGT, in its order, had directed demolition of temporary structures of several hotels including Bird’s View Resort, Hotel Pine View, Narayani Guest House, Hotel Neelgiri, Hotel Divshikha and AAA Guest House.