By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Kochi: Thiruvananthapuram District Sessions Judge K Ramakrishnan will enquire the Beemapalli police firing incident. Even though the government had asked the High Court to render the services of a sitting judge in the High Court for the purpose, the High Court allowed only a district judge, said Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan. He was briefing the media about the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting yesterday.
The Cabinet meeting held yesterday appointed the District Sessions Judge as the Commission for inquiry. The Commission has a tenure of six months to probe into the reasons for the police firing and the circumstances among others.
Six people were killed and several seriously injured in the police firing that took place in Beemapalli in Thiruvananthapuram on 17th May. There were some clashes between the Muslims of Beemapalli and the Christians of Cheriathura in coastal Thiruvananthapuram, which were triggered by the acts of some goons in the area. The police took no action to control the criminals. When clashes were intensified on 17th, the police indiscriminately fired at the people, killing six. Several people were seriously injured; one even had his leg cut off.
Owing to the strong protest of Muslim organisations and human rights groups, the government has given compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of those killed. It has also announced that Rs 22 lakh more will be distributed to the victims of the police firing and clashes.
The Judicial First Class Magisterate Court had earlier ordered to raid the houses of the Home Minister and DGP to find documents regarding the police firing, which was reportedly done without any order from superior officers or District Collector. But the order was later stayed by the District Court.
The Home Minister had admitted in the Assembly earlier that the Beemapalli incident was a stain on the government. He also praised the role played by the Muslim organisations in the issue, by not letting it grow into a communal violence. Muslim organisations stood together in the matter of grave concern and voiced for justice.