Date:24/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/24/stories/2007052417950100.htm

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SHRC to probe firing in old city

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) will hold an inquiry on June 11 into the police firing in the old city after the Mecca Masjid bomb blast on May 18 that reportedly claimed five lives.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (MIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi along with his followers on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the SHRC Chairman, B. Subhashan Reddy, here on Thursday urging him to take up a full-fledged inquiry into the matter. Mr. Owaisi in his memorandum described police action as `unwarranted' and `unprovoked' adding that the firing was ordered without following due procedures.

The MIM leader submitted an account outlining the conditions in which five persons were killed while another eight persons were injured in the police firing. "Police opened indiscriminate firing on innocent people who started running towards Shalibanda after coming out of the mosque," he said.

MIM party workers who interacted with the media after meeting the SHRC Chairman pointed out that Self Loading Rifles were used in the firing. "SLRs are only used to combat terrorists or naxalites and not common people," Mr Owaisi said. SHRC Chairman B. Subhashan Reddy informed that they would wait for the report from Commissioner of Police and Hyderabad District Collector before reaching any conclusion. Mr. Reddy informed that the notice was served on the Commissioner of Police seeking explanation for reasons behind the police firing.