Two weeks after anti-CAA violence, kin of Meerut victims still to get autopsy reports
Some residents alleged police were not providing the reports because all deaths occurred due to bullet injuries and they fear they could face court cases.
The families of two of the five people killed in Meerut in violence during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests on December 20 have accused the authorities of denying them their post-mortem reports.
“My family is still struggling to get the report,” said Imran, whose brother, Mohsin, was among the five killed. He added they sought former Congress lawmaker Imran Masood and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Jayant Choudhary’s help but nothing happened.
Naushad, uncle of Asif who was also killed in Meerut on December 20, said local police have told them they are yet to get the report in this case too.
“We approached our councillor, former councillor, city Congress president and many other leaders over the past 10 days to get the report but nothing happened,” said Naushad’s neighbour, Muhammad Waseem.
Meerut city Congress president, Zahid Ansari, said the families of some victims met him to seek his help in getting the reports. “They are living in fear,” he said.
Ansari said the kin of five were reluctant in visiting police stations, fearing they could be implicated in false cases. He accused police of depriving citizens of their legal rights and trying to conceal their “wrongdoings”.
Some residents alleged police were not providing the reports because all deaths occurred due to bullet injuries and they fear they could face court cases.
Anees Ahmad, a lawyer who is part of a Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind panel formed to provide legal aid to people detained in the aftermath of the anti-CAA violence, said police have claimed protesters were using firearms and some people died of bullet injuries. “...it is possible that the post-mortem examination reports may reveal a different story, which is why police are dragging their feet in providing the reports.”
Additional director general (Meerut zone) Prashant Kumar said anybody can take post-mortem examination reports through a set procedure. “They [kin of those killed] should meet the SSPs [senior police superintendents] of their respective districts and demand the post-mortem examination reports.”