| National
Commission for Minorities
NEW
DELHI
21st
MAY 2007
The
National Commission for Minorities has seen reports in
the media about the bomb blast in the Makkah mosque at
Hyderabad
during the Friday prayer on May 18, 2007 and about the
subsequent police firing.
According to these reports, a total of 14
persons were killed in the bomb blast including
5 in
police firing.
Media
has cited the post-mortem reports which indicate that
of the persons killed in the police firing, 4 died as
a result of bullet injuries sustained above the waist
level.
The
Commission has taken suo moto note of these reports
and has sought from the Government of Andhra Pradesh a
full report on the circumstances that led to the
firing and to the shots being aimed at parts of the
body above the waist.
It
would be recalled that when the NCM had enquired into
the disturbances in
Aligarh
city on April 6, 2006, it had noted that ‘the bullet
injuries sustained by victims of firing were above the
waist level’.
The
Commission is aware that prescribed procedures for
resort to police firing stipulate, inter alia, that
the police must aim their guns in such a manner as to
avoid loss of life and consequently, direct the fire
at the legs only.
The instances cited above tend to suggest that
this provision is being observed in the breach.
The Commission therefore urges the Central and
State Governments to ensure that the police force,
which is the guardian of law and order, discharges its
functions lawfully.
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