BIJNOR: A special investigation team (SIT) has given a clean chit to six cops accused of allegedly killing IAS-aspirant during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, the Indian Express reported on Wednesday.
The report added that SIT has squarely blamed the deceased Mohammad Suleiman, 20, a college student, of indulging in violence, a claim vehemently rejected by his family.
The SIT report declared the family’s allegation false. “The policemen, who were blamed by them, have been given clean-chit. We have found Suleiman involved in the protest and was an accused. Since he has died, no action could be taken against him,” Bijnor’s Additional Superintendent of Police Laxmi Niwas Mishra, who heads the SIT, was quoted by the Indian Express in its report.
Family rejects police claims
On December 20, violence erupted in the Nahtaur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district.
In his final year of graduation, Suleiman was preparing for his UPSC entrance exam was allegedly hit by bullets fired by the police while he was returning home after Friday prayers.
Following the killing, the family of Suleiman has lodged a complaint against six police personnel alleging that he was shot by police bullets and that he had nothing to do with the protests.
The complaint claims that the incident was witnessed by many people in the area who are apparently afraid to speak up against the cops.
Suleiman’s family has also claimed that the police left him to die in the lane and when the family took him to a local hospital, he was declared dead.
Magisterial inquiry pending
A magisterial inquiry probing into the death of Suleiman, is still pending.
Sub-divisional magistrate, Dhampur, Dhirendra Singh said, “I have yet to complete the inquiry. The statement of the deceased’s family has been recorded.”
Cops finally admit firing
Earlier, the UP DGP O.P. Singh had maintained that “not a single bullet was fired” during the unrest.
Later, the Bijnor police for the first time admitted to have opened fire in ‘self defence’ during the protests that erupted across the state.
A ballistic report confirmed that a bullet retrieved from Suleiman’s body was fired from Constable Mohit Kumar’s service pistol.