The Madhya Pradesh government’s version of the incident where eight alleged members of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India were shot dead by police in the State under suspicious circumstances on Monday after they escaped from Bhopal’s central jail (Page 1, Nov.1) raises several doubts. How did the men escape despite high security arrangements in the prison and systems and gadgets installed? Was it negligence on the part of the prison authorities or a case of connivance? Why was it necessary to shoot the men when some of them were injured? There are many loose ends. Were Supreme Court guidelines in such cases followed by the police?
S.V. Venkatakrishnan,
Bengaluru
The official version just does not add up. Footage of the purported encounter has only added to the discomfiture of the State police and their political masters. While no responsible citizen can hold a brief for elements indulging in acts of terror, one cannot at the same time let the law enforcement agencies run amuck and act in a manner not consistent with the rule of law. The charges against those killed were yet to be proved before the trial court. There have been innumerable instances where the persons initially arrested for acts of terror were later found to be innocent, the Malegaon bomb blast cases of 2006 being an example. Given the sensitivity of the case, any investigation by agencies answerable to the executive of the day would lack credibility. It is a fit case for suo motu intervention by the Supreme Court.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
It is pathetic that political parties such as the Congress and the CPI(M) are now demanding a probe into the incident despite being well aware that the men were involved in terror cases and escaped after killing a jail officer. There is a limit to politicising such issues.
Ajay Kulkarni,
New Delhi
It is upsetting that there are quite a few political elements that are more interested in practising appeasement politics than in praising the police. The Madhya Pradesh State police acted swiftly but had they failed to act, these elements would have been quick to change track and blame the government.
Surinder K. Narula,
New Delhi
