PILIBHIT: The police are trying to suppress information about two key witnesses who can prove the culpability of senior police officers in planning the Pilibhit killings on July 13 They are the bus driver and the 11th person who was taken away from the bus and whose whereabouts are not known to date.

Musharraf the driver is a key witness incidentally he was let off by the police on July 17 along with the women passengers with an instruction that he would not let out the truth. Ever since news about the fake encounters caused uproar in Parliament and drew wide-spread attention the police have been looking for the driver but to no avail. He has remained elusive and his family is facing the wrath of the police. The police raided his house in Ashfaq Khan Locality July 22 about a dozen times.

Musharraf’s family members reportedly met the Congress delegation comprising R.S. Ahluwalia Manoranjan Bhakt Iqbal Singh Suresh Pachauri and Akhar Ahmed Dump and asked them to ensure the driver’s safety. The local police would kill Musharraf they alleged.

The entire episode took a curious turn following the revelation by some passengers that the persons taken away by the police numbered 11 Talwinder aliases Biloo a 23-yr-old Sikh youth from the Banda police station area was also taken away

In fact Biloo had organized the pilgrimage and paid Rs30,000 advance to the private transporter Hindustan Travels from whom the bus was hired. Nothing is known about Biloo so far. Biloo’s name did not appear in the list of persons shot dead by the police.

Biloo’s parents met the BJP probe team July 22 and expressed their apprehension that the boy might have been killed by the police. Senior police officers plead ignorance about the mysterious disappearance of Biloo from police custody.

 TEAM GHERAOED: Meanwhile 200 people gheraoed the BJP probe team in support of the Pilibit police justifying the killings. The mob indulged in slogan shouting which ranged from Jai ShriRam to Jo Hindu hit ki bat karega wahi desh per raj karega (Only those speaking in favor of Hindus shall rule the country) A senior police officer was seen egging the crowd to raise more slogans on communal lines

However only a few people in the mob vociferously supported the local police. Others brought from distant areas like Madho Tanda Gajraula and Sungarhgi remained passive participants. They told this reporter that the local SHOs had asked them to come to the guest house where the BJP team was staying and that they did not know why they had been brought there ull the last moment.

A number of senior police officers have started lobbying to stall proceedings against those involved in the killings on the pretext that it would demoralize the force which is combating terrorism in the Terai region. Not that I like justice Jess but I like the morale of the force more said the IG (Bareilly zone) J.K.P.Singh justifying the killings. He refused to say anything about the bus episode except that those killed were dreaded militants. They include Lakhwinder a 15-yr-old boy from Narnia who till recently was looking after a chemist shop. Though Singh had no evidence to support his claim he said the boy might have joined the militants recently.

BOGEY OF REVOLT: Senior police officers have raised the bogey of a possible revolt in the Terai police if any of the officers involved in the July 13 killing is punishment. This is believed to be a calculated move to scare away the govt from taking any punitive action against the guilty.

What is surprising is the apparent attempt at the govt level to justify the killings. A group of local BJP leaders who met the BJP probe team argued what is wrong in killing militants in fake encounters?

 

Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1991