National Human Rights Commission summons Telangana State police

DC | S.A. ISHAQUI

Published Apr 24, 2015, 11:48 am IST

Scene of offence clearly shows that it was a cold blooded murder

 Syed Bilal (centre), the father of terror suspect Viquaruddin, and women from Medak district with farmer suicide cases, wait for their turn at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the second day of its camp in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Hyderabad: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday directed the Telangana government to furnish the reports of inquest, post-mortem and magisterial inquiry with regard to Alair encounter in which Viquaruddin and four other terror suspects were killed on April 7.

 

The full bench of the NHRC comprising its chairman K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices Cyriac Joseph, D. Murugesan and S.C. Sinha was hearing complaints by Mohammed Ahmed, father of Viquaruddin activists seeking action against the police personnel involved in the encounter.

 

Mr Ahmed asked whether it is possible for a person with hand cuffs and chained legs to snatch a weapon from the police and the pictures of the scene of offence clearly shows that it was a cold blooded murder.

 

It was brought to the notice of the bench that a day prior to the killings, one of the deceased, Zakir was taken to the Warangal prison from Chanchalguda prison in the city, despite his appearance along with the other four before the trial court at Hyderabad on April 7. While asking to furnish the reasons for shifting him from the city to Warangal, the NHRC bench pointed out that it is raising suspicion at the motive of the police.

 

The IG of Hyderabad Naveen Chand, told the bench that the deceased had a known history of violence and they are responsible for killing of three home guards and a constable and they also assaulted the jail staff in Chanchalguda prison. “As the suspects killed several policemen, it seems that out of vindictiveness, the police eliminated them,” the bench said.

 

NHRC holds open hearing:

 

The full bench of the NHRC, which conducted an an open hearing in the city on Thursday directed the Cyberabad Police commissioner C.V. Anand to submit within three weeks, the report on the progress of the investigation including postmortem reports with regard to the police firing in Kishanbagh area of the city on May 14 last year.

 

The bench was dealing with complaints seeking action against the police for opening fire on a mob through BSF police personnel during a clash between two groups in Kishanbagh in which three people were killed and 18 were injured.

 

90-yr-old incited mob: Police

 

The NHRC bench on Thursday directed the SP of Srikakulam district to submit postmortem reports of the deceased who were killed in police firing on February 28, 2011 during an agitation against the establishment of thermal power plant in Kakarapalli of the district. The bench also directed to furnish the copies of medical reports of the police personnel injured in the clash.  

 

The bench was dealing with a complaint by the villagers alleging that the police held a 90-year-old woman responsible for the agitation and was arrested. It wondered how a 90-year-old woman who is in immovable condition could lead the mob to attack the police. 

 

Gail probe on hold:

 

The NHRC on Thursday directed the East Godavari police to complete the investigation with regard to the fire mishap caused due to the leakage of gas pipe line of the GAIL in Nagaram village in which 21 people were killed and 18 others injured.

 

While hearing the complaints from the villagers seeking action against the GAIL authorities, the bench enquired with the police about the progress of the investigation. The police said that the investigation was put on hold as the union petroleum minister ordered probe through a high level committee. 

 

Labour abuse may invoke SC Act:

 

A bench of the NHRC conducting an open hearing here on Thursday directed the AP and the Telangana governments to examine the possibilities of booking a case under the SC and the ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 in the incidents of bonded labour.

 

While hearing the complaints from victims of bonded labour from both the states, the bench said it would be more appropriate if the cases are booked under the Act 1989, in addition to the cases under the Minimum Wages Act and bonded labour, as in most of the cases, the victims belong to the SC and the ST communities.

 

The bench also enquired about the progress of the investigation in the case of the children involved in bangle making. The police, however, said that the investigation is yet to complete. The bench suggested taking steps to recover Rs 20,000, which were given as compensation to the victim from the owners of the units.