Concerned over SIMI activists' killing: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) on Tuesday expressed concern over the killing of eight SIMI undertrial activists in an alleged encounter by Madhya Pradesh Police.

JIH Secretary General Muhammad Salim Engineer said the killing of eight undertrial prisoners in Bhopal was highly disturbing, adding that several media reports suggested it was a fake encounter.

"The entire episode raises several uncomfortable questions. Was it possible for the accused to scale over 30-feet high wall of the most secure jail in Madhya Pradesh? How could they lay hands on weapons? Why are there contradictory statements from officials over whether prisoners had weapons or not?" he said.

"How did they get new clothes, watches and bands? If they had connections to get weapons, why couldn't they get a vehicle to escape? Why no policeman was injured in the encounter? Why were the CCTVs (in Bhopal Central Jail) not functioning? How all of them moved together rather than dispersing and couldn't go further in eight hours?"

Engineer said the organisation demanded a high-level inquiry under Supreme Court supervision to bring out the facts about the alleged jailbreak and the encounter.

He said a lawyer for the accused had maintained that the case against his clients was very weak and there was every likelihood of their acquittal soon.

--IANS

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