By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Hyderabad: Border Security Force who were stationed in Hyderabad for election security was called on Wednesday morning to control the communal clashes in Kishanbagh. But BSF clearly sided with armed assailants and made stone pelter Muslims target of their sophisticated INSAS rifle, popularly known as ‘Kargil’ rifle for its major use in the bloody terrain war against Pakistan.
INSAS rifle is Kalashnikov AK47 base model which is used to carry lethal assaults, currently this weaponry is employed for anti-insurgency operations in Naxal strongholds. It has the capacity of firing 600 bullets per minute covering 500 meter range. The same rifle was used to ‘disperse’ Muslim protesters who were agitated over destruction of their property.
[Pic courtesy Siasat.com]
Police officer from Cyberabad Police Commissionerrate are tight lipped on firing orders. Y. Gangadhar, Joint commissioner of police was the senior most officer on the spot and is widely believeed to be the man behind the firing order to BSF.
Y. Gangadhar did defend the BSF firing claiming that it was a necessity to control the situation but he claimed that orders were given to fire in the air. He told reporters, “Around 6.30 am, a group assembled and attacked people. As both groups, armed with swords clashed, we ordered BSF to fire in the air. Those who were at some height from the ground level were hit. Three people have died in the firing. The injured are stable, firing in the air was necessary to bring the situation under control.”
Firing began when the Muslims started to assemble at Arsh Mahal locality agitating over armed Sikhs who burned down their houses enjoying security complicity. As stone pelting began, Madhapur DCP Kanti Rana Tata suffered injury that is when the top officials present on the ground ordered BSF to fire to control the mob.
But the action was largely one sided, while police didn’t even touch the sword wielding assailant Sikhs, Muslim stone pleters on the other side of the road had to face raining bullets directly aimed to kill.
26 year old Mohammed Farid killed in Police firing when he came out of his house after hearing screams. His unconsolabel father shows Farid and his wife’s potrait. He got married just 3 months back.
Some of the police officers have been quoted in different mainstream newspapers alleging their surprise when people started to fell down due to bullet injuries claiming they presumed BSF would fire in air.
But firing in air never appeared to be the intention of BSF as all the three victims of firing Mohammed Shujauddin, Mohammed Fareed, and Wajid Ali received bullet wounds on chest and at abdomen level, likewise many others injured also got bullet injuries above the waist.
Mohd Shujauddin Qateeb shot dead in Police Firing, his 4 year old daughter Amreen showing his photo.
According to police manual on controlling riots, officers even after receiving firing orders cannot fire above the waist level and from a close proximity range.
During violent Telangana agitation which took a toll of hundreds of crores to ex-chequere on damaged government properties, police always restored to lathi charge or firing tear gas shells, on rare occasions rubber bullets were fired on the protestors below the waist level.
[Pic courtesy Siasat.com]
But in this case the objective of paramilitary armed with deadly rifles was visibly to hunt down protestors. Many Muslim organizations and political parties in Hyderabad have demanded a judicial enquiry in the firing incident but Governor ESL Narshiman who is also a former IPS officer and the current de facto authority due to president rule is giving no heed to investigation demands.
Related:
Hyderabad riots: Police claim situation calm, defends firing order on Muslim protestors
Uneasy calm in riot-hit parts of Hyderabad