Various Muslim organisations on Saturday served an ultimatum to the TRS government to render justice in the alleged ‘encounter’ killing of the five undertrial prisoners if it wants to continue in office. They threatened to take up a campaign against the encounter throughout the State if a probe by sitting High Court judge or through CBI was not ordered.
The organisations rejected the SIT probe ordered by the government and said such enquiries never brought out the truth and never even saw the light of the day. At a consultative meeting convened by the Jamiat Ulama Telangana and AP here, representatives of 20 different religious and social organisations demanded immediate suspension of the policemen involved in the encounter and sealing of the police van in which they were shot dead for forensic investigation.
Representatives of Tameer-e-Millat, Imarat Millat-e-Islamia, Majlis-e-Ilmia, Jamat-e-Islami, Tehreek Muslim Shabban, Safa Baitul Maal, Anjuman-e-Mehdiviya, Tahaffuz-e-Sunnat expressed concern at the safety of Muslim prisoners and wanted to know how the government would ensure their security. Many speakers felt the TRS government had been ‘ungrateful’ in paying back to Muslims with whose support it stormed to power.
The Telangana Joint Action Committee chairman, M. Kodandaram, joined the Muslim organisations in demanding a fair probe into the encounter as mere ‘namesake enquiries’ wouldn’t help rebuild confidence among the minorities. Violence by anyone was condemnable, more so if it was from the official machinery, he said.
Prof. Kodandaram said it was difficult to buy the police version of the encounter since the prisoners were found handcuffed and chained to their seats. Since they were in the police custody and a trial was going on, the alleged encounter raised many doubts. He asked the Muslim organisations to give a petition to the National Human Rights Commission coming here on April 23 and to intervene in the case now in the High Court.
Abdul Rahim Qureshi, president, All India Tamire Millat, strongly objected to the use of words ‘terror operatives’ in the GO issued by the government ordering the SIT probe. When the court was yet to pronounce its judgement, how could the Chief Secretary jump to conclusion, he asked.
Before the encounter, the road on both sides was closed for traffic. The government had desisted from ordering CBI probe as it feared it would affect the morale of the police, he said.
Hafiz Peer Shabbir Ahmed, MLC, said the government took credit for good things and why it was shying away to own up the encounter. Hamid Mohd Khan of Movement for Peace and Justice wondered whether Telangana was treading the Gujarat path.
