HYDERABAD – The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken a suo motu cognizance of a gory ‘encounter’ by Telangana police – but their families and rights activists have refused to call it so and alleged deliberate killing- in which five under trial terror accused were killed. It has issued notices to chief secretary and DGP of the state.

“Commission has taken suo muto cognizance of media reports that Telengana police have shot dead five under trials alleged to be militants while they were being brought by them to Hyderabad in connection with a court case on April 7, 2015,” NHRC said in a statement from its camp at Thiruvananthapuram.

Five under trials, accused in terror cases, namely Mohammed Vikaruddin, Amjed Ali, Mohammed Haneef, Riyaz Khan and Izhar Khan on Tuesday morning were shot dead while they were being shifted from Warangal prison to Hyderabad Criminal court for a trial. Police claimed to have opened fire when the accused tried to snatch a weapon from a policeman in the running vehicle between Aler and Jangaon, about 80 km from Hyderabad in an area bordering Warangal and Nalgonda districts. However, their families, lawyers and civil rights activists find the police version questionable and have termed it as a ‘revenge’ and ‘retaliation’ against the death of cops in another encounter few days back.

“According to media reports, the incident took place when the vehicle carrying the under trials crossed the Warangal district border and reached the outskirts of Tangupuru village in Aler Mandal of Nalgonda district. One of the under trials asked the police to halt the vehicle for a toilet break. While getting back to the van he allegedly snatched an INSAS rifle from a policeman and fired two bullets at a Sub-Inspector sitting in the front row, who ducked and escaped. Sensing danger, other constables immediately opened fire resulting in the instant death of five under trials,” the NHRC release stated.

NHRC went on to make a critical observation, “The Commission has also observed that from the news report, it transpires that at the time of the incident, at least four of the under trials were inside the van duly guarded by the accompanying policemen. Prima facie, it appears that this is an instance of blatant use of disproportionate force resulting in loss of lives of five under trials who were in judicial custody and gross violation of human rights.”

It comes a day after NHRC issued similar notice to sister state Andhra Pradesh where 20 tribal’s alleged to be red sandal smugglers were shot dead in cold blood.

The Commission after it issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, Telengana, has called for reports within two weeks. NHRC informed that it will further take up the matter in its Camp Sitting to be held at Hyderabad on the April 23, 2015. — TwoCircles.net