SIMI activist gets 10 years in prison for attack on cops

A court here awarded ten years' rigorous imprisonment to a member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on Friday for an attack on a police team in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district in 2011.

Additional District Judge Girish Dixit awarded the sentence to SIMI activist Farhat after convicting him under section 307 of the IPC (attempt to murder) and under the Arms Act, a prosecution officer said.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on him, he added.

A police team arrested Farhat, along with another SIMI activist Zakir, during a raid in Ratlam on June 3, 2011, for allegedly murdering a police constable.

As the police team asked the two to come out, they opened fire, killing a policeman, Shivprasad, and injuring another.

Farhat fled from the spot. As a police team led by Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Vyas chased him, he opened fire again and a bullet narrowly missed Vyas, the prosecution said.

He was eventually captured, while Zakir, who escaped, was killed in an encounter later.

Farhat was not charged in Shivprasad's murder case.