SC on murder of woman Assistant in anti-encroachment drive

New Delhi, May 2: The Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the killing of a woman Assistant Town Planner in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli during an anti-encroachment drive.

Describing the killing of Shaila Bala Sharma as "extremely serious", a bench of Justice Madan B. Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta directed that the matter be placed before Chief Justice Dipak Misra for its listing before an appropriate bench on Thursday.

Sharma who had gone to Kasauli to supervise the demolition of unauthorised constructions at 13 hotels and resorts as ordered by the top court was shot dead on Tuesday by Vijay Singh -- owner of Narayani Guest House in Dharampur area. A labourer was also injured.

The court pulled up the Himachal government for not providing adequate security to the officials carrying out the demolitions as it termed as "serious" that the accused killed the official in daylight and police could not catch him.