By IANS
Hyderabad : Muslims leaders Monday urged the Andhra Pradesh government to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Friday's bomb blast at the historic Mecca Masjid and the subsequent police firing on protesters.
A delegation of the United Muslim Action Committee comprising various community groups called on Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate suspension of the police officials responsible for firing on the protesters.
Talking to reporters later, the Muslim leaders said the chief minister agreed to order a CBI probe but only into the bomb blast even as he promised to take action against the police officers if they were found to have used excessive force.
The delegation which was led by UMAC convenor and religious scholar Moulana Mohammed Hameeduddin Aaquil Hussami, said only a CBI probe could bring out the truth.
The leaders conveyed their unhappiness over the manner in which police handled the situation after the blast.
The blast during the Friday afternoon prayers at the 17th century mosque near Charminar claimed 11 lives while five people died in the police firing.
The delegation also wanted the chief minister to take action against some police officials who were allegedly planting stories in the media about the possible involvement of Pakistan- and Bangladesh-based terrorist groups in the incident.
It said this was aimed at taking the investigations into a particular direction and preventing a fair probe with an open mind.
Talking to reporters after meeting the chief minister, Hyderabad MP and leader of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) Asaduddin Owaisi said "the government will be responsible for any consequences" if it failed to respond positively to their fair demands.
The delegation included MIM president Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi and leaders of Majlis Tameer-e-Millat, Jamaat-e-Islami and other groups.