The Hindu : New Delhi News : Bodies of suspected militants buried

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Bodies of suspected militants buried

Staff Reporter

Last rites of both Atif and Fakruddin performed at the cemetery near Punch Peera Mosque

Former municipal councillor seeks judicial probe
Residents allege that police are hiding something

NEW DELHI: The bodies of two suspected militants who were gunned down in an encounter with the Special Cell of the Delhi police at Batla House this past week were buried at a cemetery in Nizamuddin here on Monday night.

The last rites of Mohammad Bashir alias Atif and Mohammad Fakruddin were performed at the cemetery near Punch Peera Mosque.

In the afternoon, when news about the bodies being brought to Jamia Nagar spread, residents started gathering in the local cemetery. But when the bodies did not arrive till late in the afternoon, doubts were raised whether the police would allow the burial to take place there.

Abid, a local resident, said: “Mobile phones of their relatives are now switched off. Earlier they had said that the bodies would be buried here.”

Among those present at the cemetery was the former municipal councillor, Mohammad Asif Khan, who demanded a judicial probe into the shootout. “We should not be seen as supporters of terrorists. But we should know what exactly transpired there. According to the police, two militants managed to escape during the encounter, but there is only one entry-exit to the flat on the fourth floor where they were living. A photograph of the injured Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma being taken away by two persons shows that he had no injuries in the stomach, as being reported.”

Showing a copy of the purported tenant verification form submitted by Mohammad Bashir alias Atif to the area police station, Asif demanded a probe into the authenticity of the form and the police seal on it.

Another local resident, Naushad, said: “The police are hiding something, or else they would have allowed the media to visit the flat after the encounter. While in other encounters, they display the weapons seized from terrorists, in this case they have not done that.”

An NGO, Real Cause, has also approached the NHRC seeking a probe.

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

New Delhi