Basheerbagh firing: POW leader blames police

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 4. More than 25 persons, including Left party leaders, activists and eyewitnesses deposed before the two-member People's Human Rights Tribunal looking into the police firing at Basheerbagh on August 28 on the last day of its three-day sitting.

Along with the Progressive Organisation for Women (POW) leader Ms. Sandhya, three more persons deposed before the panel consisting of Mr. Justice H.G. Balakrishna, former judge of the Karnataka High Court, and Mr. Justice Malay Sengupta, former Judge of the Calcutta High Court and acting Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court, here on Monday.

The POW leader alleged that anti-power hike agitators began throwing stones on the police only when the latter resorted to lathicharge and firing of tear gas shells, rubber bullets and `real' bullets later on without any provocation. ``Initially, the processionists threw chappals and flag sticks,'' she said.

Ms. Sandhya said the police were particularly brutal with women agitators and ``their behaviour was against all norms and rules.'' She wanted the panel to take note of the police's ``inhuman action.'' In the beginning, she said, she could not identify police officers responsible for firing but after some time, she named four senior IPS officers. This aspect was not in her written statement, the judges pointed out.

When asked if any warning given before force was used by the police, she said, she noticed a megaphone but was sure there were no warnings. A betel leaf supplier, Mr. P. Kishore Kumar, was the next to depose before the tribunal. He was going towards his uncle's office in Basheerbagh when a bullet grazed his ear and cheek on the flyover.

He said he was taken to the Osmania General Hospital by Opposition activists and he was an in-patient there for 12 days. When asked why he did not file any complaint, he said, ``It was not that I was scared but the PCC president gave me Rs. 10,000 and I was satisfied with that.''

A CPI activist, Mr. Dasarath, said he was beaten up by police personnel mercilessly even when he was pleading with them. He claimed he had also tried to stop his people from raining stones. ``The police did not show mercy towards the leaders like the former MP, Mr. S. Sudhakar Reddy, and Mr. Raghavulu,'' he said.

Earlier, Ms. Praveena, SFI activist, and Ms. Ch. Leelavathi of the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), also listed the alleged repressive measures of the police on the day of the incident.

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Section  : Southern States
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