Muslim group seeks CBI probe into 'extra-judicial' killings

Police say the undertrials were shot dead near Aler in Nalgonda district while being brought to Hyderabad from the Warangal Central Jail.

Hyderabad:  The United Muslim Action Committee, an umbrella grouping of Muslims organistaions, on Wednesday asked the Telangana government to order a CBI probe into the killing of five undertrials by the police.

Terming the incident 'cold-blooded murders', the committee decided to meet Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to seek a probe either by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or by a high court judge.

The committee met at Darussalam, the headquarters of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), a constituent.

Abdul Raheem Qureshi, who heads the committee, told reporters that they condemned the killing of four policemen by terrorists in Nalgonda district last week -- and also the gunning down of five undertrials by the police and the killing of 20 woodcutters by the police in Andhra Pradesh.

The committee said it had no faith in the police investigation and hence there was a need for an independent probe.

The group dismissed the police claim that the undertrials tried to snatch weapons, saying they were not in a position to do so as they were handcuffed and even the chains were locked to the police vehicle.

Police say the undertrials were shot dead near Aler in Nalgonda district while being brought to Hyderabad from the Warangal Central Jail.

Seeking exemplary punishment to the guilty policemen, Qureshi said the wireless messages and phone records should be seized so that they can't be manipulated later.

MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi wanted the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government to speak out on the "stage-managed" encounter.

"We will see what the response of the government will be. After making this representation, all democratic avenues are open," said the MP from Hyderabad whose party is an ally of TRS.

"We want the truth to come out. If you allow these extra-judicial killings, this will lead to anarchy and mayhem in our society," he said.

The MP said by giving a fair trial to Ajmal Kasab, who killed hundreds in Mumbai, India as a country showed to the world that it gives fair trial to even dreaded terrorists.

Owaisi said though the five undertrials had grievous charges against them, the cases were in the final stage and the judgment would have come in a couple of months.

"The police can't be allowed to become the judge and the jury," said the MIM chief, who reiterated that these were revenge killings by police.

"There is no justification whatsoever for the killing of four policemen by terrorists (in Nalgonda). We pay homage to the four brave policemen who sacrificed their lives. The police fraternity must be very angry... We are with you but will your tears be wiped out by bumping off these five boys?" asked Owaisi.

IANS