CPI-M demands for judicial probe into Bhopal encounter

​New Delhi: The CPI-M on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the killing of the eight SIMI activists in Bhopal, saying there were "serious doubts" about the veracity of the "encounter" with police.

The Communist Party of India-Marxist said in a statement that the eight men who were killed after escaping from the Bhopal Central Jail on Monday were undertrials whose guilt had not been established.

"How the accused could have escaped from a high security prison also raises serious questions," it said.

"The (Madhya Pradesh) government owes a full explanation how this occurred.

"The claim by the Madhya Pradesh Police that the accused were shot dead after they were attacked by these men who were armed is contradicted by the state Home Minister Bhupendra Singh.

"That these men could secure arms while being unable to get a vehicle to make good their escape sounds implausible," the CPI-M said.

"Video clips that have surfaced of the incident show policemen shooting at one of the 'escapees' as he lies on the ground. Another shows them waving at policemen, presumably indicating that they want to surrender.

"All these raise serious doubts about the veracity of the police claims."

In the light of these concerns, the CPI-M demanded a judicial commission headed by a sitting judge be constituted to conduct a thorough investigation into the entire episode.

"The Chief Minister (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) has announced that an enquiry would be conducted by the NIA. Such an enquiry would neither be credible nor acceptable," it said.