'Treat killing of 5 persons in police firing as homicidal deaths'

Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen leader and Hyderabad member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday urged the State Human Rights Commission to treat the killing of five persons in the police firing in the aftermath of the bomb blasts at Mecca Masjid on May 18 as "homicidal deaths."

He also submitted a representation, including 136 questions relating to the police firing incident, and urged the commission to keep these points in view while proceeding with the inquiry into the police firing which, he contended, was uncalled for and unwarranted.

In all, five persons were killed and eight others injured in the police firing. SHRC chairman B Subhashan Reddy said that the commission would look into his representation.

The SHRC fixed the next hearing on June 18 and ordered that the copies of the reports of the Hyderabad district collector nd Hyderabad city police commissioner should be given to the petitioners.

The collector and the police commissioner, in their respective reports, justified the police firing, claiming that the police had fired in self-defence as the mob was trying to attack them and burn down a petrol bunk near Moghalpura.

Owaisi urged the commission to get video and newspaper clippings to ascertain the fact whether the police firing was warranted and justified.

He wanted the commission to ascertain whether the police had resorted to lathi charge and used teargas shells and rubber bullets before opening fire and whether they had fired below the knees of the victims. He also sought an opportunity for his party's counsel to cross-examine the witnesses.

Meanwhile, the MIM MP submitted a similar representation to the special executive magistrate who began the magisterial inquiry into the police firing.

The magisterial inquiry was ordered by the Hyderabad district collector. Police officials submitted several records to the special executive magistrate.

Asaduddin Owaisi also met Special Executive Magistrate Ramesh Reddy and submitted several records to prove his argument that the police firing was uncalled for and unwarranted.

Ramesh Reddy told newsmen later that the doctors, who had conducted the post-mortem on the five persons killed in police firing, would also be summoned for deposition.

He said the second sitting would be held next week after due publicity in the media. A report would be submitted to the government on completion of the magisterial inquiry, he added.