The Hindu : National : My son is innocent: Javed's father

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jun 19, 2004

National

National

My son is innocent: Javed's father

By A. Harikumar

NOORANAD, JUNE 18. The news of the death in Ahmedabad of Javed Ghulam Muhammed Sheikh alias Praneshkumar Pillai of Manaladi Thekkethil house at Thamarakkulam in Alappuzha district, in an encounter with the Gujarat police on Tuesday has evoked shock and disbelief in his native village.

His father, M.R. Gopinathan Pillai, said he firmly believed that the reported encounter was a fake one and his son was innocent. ``He was a non-smoker and a teetotaller who was never involved in any criminal activities," Mr. Pillai said.

Viswambharan, a neighbour who was present at the house, said the deceased was always helpful to his neighbours whenever he visited the native village. The villagers who assembled at the house to console Mr. Pillai agreed with Mr. Viswambharan.

Mr. Pillai said he was planning to submit a memorandum to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, demanding a CBI enquiry into the incident. He also planned to submit memoranda to the Kerala Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, and the Opposition leader of Gujarat to press for his demand.

"If my son was really a terrorist he got the deserved punishment, but if he were innocent the truth should be brought out," said Mr. Pillai. He said that though he was benumbed when he came to know about the death of his son, he decided to react after he saw the teachers of the college where Ishrat Jahan, another victim in the encounter, studied, saying in a channel that they did not believe that she was a terrorist.

"I decided that I should also fight against injustice," Mr. Pillai said. He said the police had not officially informed about the death. "Some policemen directed by the Chenganoor Deputy Superintendent of Police came here and told me that the family members should not leave the place as the Gujarat police might come here to question us," said Mr. Pillai. Mr. Pillai said he came to know about the death of his son when he saw the photograph of the victims of the Ahmedabad shootout in a newspaper. The photo of the Tata Indica car confirmed his doubts. He said his son was wearing clothes, which he bought from a shop at Charumood near the house.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National