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simi-activists

Human chain against killing of SIMI activists

Indore : Over 15 persons were detained by police on Saturday before as they were trying to protest and form human chain against killing of 8 SIMI men by Bhopal police recently. However, they were released by the police.

The arrests were made while protesting at Regal Square, Malwa Mill Square and other parts of the city. At several places they were detained by the cops just before forming human chain. During their gathering at Regal Square, a passer-by reached there and had a verbal fight with one of the protesters.

The police, however, denied they had detained any protestor. Senior advocate Anand Mohan Mathur said that he had asked for permission to protest against the encounter and had decided to form a human chain at Regal Square. He said he wanted to demand appointment of a Supreme Court judge to probe the killings but was denied permission by the authorities.

“The media has shown CCTV footage of the encounter which proves it was fake. The ATS chief also gave a contradictory statement that none of the inmates were carrying any weapons, whereas the police had said that there was cross firing. They said that all eight fugitives walked for 10 km after breaking out of central jail. They could have easily hired a car. All these things show that this was entirely made up and it was a fake encounter,” Mathur told Times of India.

“After we submitted a letter requesting permission at DIG’s office, two SDMs and an ASP came to my house on Thursday and persuaded me not to hold the protest at Regal Square. I refused and said that I will definitely carry out the protest even if I am not given permission,” said Mathur.

 

When Mathur was about to leave for Regal Square from his house at Geeta Bhawan, several officials tried to stop him and allegedly snatched the keys to his car from the driver. “They snatched my car keys and drove away all the rickshaws near my house. They did not allow me to move out of my house. The area near my house was barricaded and no one was allowed to come there. I was put under house arrest so that I wouldn’t attend the protest at the square,” said Mathur.

 

DIG Santosh Kumar Singh said, “We had information that some persons were going to protest at Regal Square without permission and so police officials were present on the spot. Around eight persons turned up and the administration and police officials asked them to leave.”

 

As per the sources, several persons were detained by police at Regal Square for holding protest without permission. More than 100 persons had gathered at Regal Square and were seen raising slogans.