Meerut police too admit to opening fire on protestors
They say no deaths reported from area where police resorted to firing, victims’ kin dispute this version
MEERUT: After Bijnor police, now the Meerut police officials have also accepted opening fire during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest on Friday. However, they claimed that no deaths were reported from the area where police resorted to firing to control violence.
Speaking to HT, SP City Akhilesh Narayan Singh admitted that police fired 7-8 rounds during the violent protest on Friday to control the rioters were engaged in heavy brick batting and firing but added that no deaths reported from areas where police opened fire. On the other hand, victims’ families and residents of violence-affected areas blamed the police for mindless firing which killed five people during the protests.
Meanwhile, police have released some video clippings of the violence in which locals are seen holding firearms and in some videos they are firing them. The SP City claimed that many protesters had firearms which they openly used during the clash with police.
These protesters gathered in narrow lanes of the violence-affected area, hurled stones and used firearms.
Singh said that more than 60 cops were injured in the violence and 9 of them sustained bullet injuries. He said 14 empty cartridges of 12 bore, 18 empty cartridges of 32 bore and 37 empty cartridges of 315 bore were collected from the violence--hit areas. “This shows the level at which protesters used firearms,” said Singh.
Officials are also facing wrath and criticism of people and their leaders for failing to provide copies of post mortem examination reports of the five people who lost their lives during the protest on Friday. Nayab Shaher Qazi and city president of Jamiat Ulema E Hind Zainur Rasheedin demanded that post mortem examination report should be immediately provided to the families and he also sought judicial inquiry into the violence.
He said, “I met senior officers during meeting of peace committee on Thursday and said that post mortem examination reports were not provided to families yet.”
SP CITY AKHILESH NARAYAN SINGH ADMITTED THAT POLICE FIRED 7-8 ROUNDS DURING THE VIOLENT PROTEST ON FRIDAY TO CONTROL THE RIOTERS