By IANS,
New Delhi : Demanding a judicial probe over the Batla house shootout in which two terror suspects and a police inspector were killed, a group of people including women staged protests outside the Delhi Police headquarters Saturday afternoon.
Nearly 50-60 protesters from the Jamia Teachers Solidarity Group raised slogans against Delhi Police’s Special Cell that on Sep 19 last year killed two men suspected to be involved in the Delhi serial bombings six days earlier.
In the south Delhi shootout two suspected terrorists had escaped, while one was arrested. Delhi Police inspector M.C. Sharma was also killed.
The protesters, carrying banners and placards, jostled with policemen shouting “Special Cell hai hai… Delhi Police Murdabad” (Down with Special Cell, down with Delhi Police). A banner read “Special Cell = Encounter Specialist”. They also burnt an effigy.
“We are protesting against Delhi Police’s refusal to allow judicial probe in the shootout,” said Tanvir Fazal, who identified himself as a teacher with the Jamia Milia University in the capital.
The protesters were outraged by an affidavit the police filed in the Delhi High Court, saying that a magisterial inquiry into this case would demoralise the police force.
“The affidavit is virtually a charter for a licence to kill for the police, which mock at the very idea that the security agencies should operate within the ambit of law and be sensitive to human rights concerns,” said Adil Mehandi, one of the protesters.