Arrest of militants in Mysore; Encounter theory questioned

Even as the police interrogation of the two suspected Pakistan-based militants nabbed after late-night shoot-out in Mysore was continuing, the landlady of the house where the duo had lived claimed that plainclothes policemen had picked up her tenants more than twenty days ago.

Mrs Suvarna, the landlady of the house in Rajivnagar on the outskirts of the Mysore, where the suspected Al Badr militants were staying for more than two months now, told reporters that policemen in plainclothes had taken away the two of them more than twenty days ago. “I had not seen them every since they were taken away”, she said.

Suvarna’s statement to the reporters runs contrary to the claim of Mysore police that Mohammed Fahad and Ali Hussain had been caught in an encounter after a late-night gun battle on the outskirts of Mysore.

When the local media highlighted Suvarna’s statement and questioned the encounter theory put out by the police, Home Minister M P Prakash denied that it was a state-managed encounter.

Even Mysore City Police Commissioner Pravin Sood and Director General of Karnataka Police B S Sial have rubbished the doubts raised over the police claims of an encounter. Denying the landlady’s contention, Sood said the encounter was real and there is no need to suspect the police in the regard. Sial blamed the media for raising questions about the police action.

“The police have been transparent in their work. While dealing with a problem like terrorism, police cannot reveal the whole issue. We need the co-operation of the media”, he said.

Meanwhile, the questioning of suspected militants continued at Vijaynagar police station in Mysore under whose limits they were caught while travelling in a moped carrying an AK 47 rifle and ammunition.

The local police have also questioned a local travel agent Sadiq, who reportedly helped the suspected terrorists to file an application for an Indian passport at Bangalore. The police are also expected to expand their investigation by questioning the Government officials, who had issued a birth certificate and a driving license to Mohammed Fahad in the name of Mohammed Koya.

Mohammed Fahad, however, possess a Pakistani passport issued from Karachi, with an official Indian visa stamped for 45 days, which had long lapsed. “He has clearly overstayed in the country”, Sood added.
Home Minister M P Prakash said Mohammed Fahad’s father, who migrated to Pakistan from Kerala in India in early 70s, had married an Indian woman before he moved to Pakistan. Fahad was born to his second wife, who is from Pakistan, he added.

Four special teams constituted by the Mysore police have left to different parts of the country including Jammu and Kashmir, besides Kozhikode to collect evidence against the two suspected militants.