Batla accused hit with blunt object during encounter: Report

Batla House encounter (File Photo)

The post mortem reports in connection with the Batla House encounter has revealed that the two alleged terrorists, 17-year-old Mohammad Sajid and 24-year-old Atif Ameen, had been hit by a blunt object before they died in a shootout with the Delhi police.

The findings in the report indicate that youngsters had been hit during the encounter. which is surprising given that the policemen and the accused had used guns.

Families of the accused too have questioned why the police had resorted to beating the suspects during the encounter.

The findings have raised a bigger suspicion that the encounter was fake. Though the police has maintained that the youth were terrorists who had been involved in the Delhi blasts, their families and various human rights organisations have claimed that the encounter was fake.

The post mortem report of Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma of the Delhi police, who died in the encounter, mentions that he had died due to hemorrhagic shock, and adds that he had sustained one ante mortem injury (injury before death), which has not been established.

The four-page report, which was obtained through the Right to Information Act by activists Afroz Alam Sahil, a Jamia Millia Islamia student, states that Ameen had died due to shock and hemorrhage as a result of multiple injuries.

All the 21 injuries on the 24-year-old were ante mortem, of which 16 injuries were caused due to gunshots and the other five had been due to hitting with a blunt object.

The report in particular describes Ameen's injury number 7, caused by "a blunt force impact by object or surface", as "a reddish brown abrasion of 1.5x1 cm over outer and interior aspect of right kneecap".

Sajid, the report states, had five bullet holes on the upper side of the head and that he was also beaten with a blunt object.

According to the report, Sajid had died due to craniocerebral (relating to cranium and cerebrum in the brain) damage as a result of gunshot injuries to the head.

He had 14 injuries in all. Injuries 1 to 12 were caused due to a firearm, while injury 13 was due to being hit with a blunt force.

Describing Injury No 13, the report says it was "4x2 cm abrasion, red in colour over back of chest in midline" and Injury No. 14 was a "laceration of size 3.5x2cm horizontally over front of right leg in the middle".

The report also describes the cause of death of Inspector Sharma, but does not mention of any injuries were due to a blunt object.

Sharma, who had sustained bullet injuries during the encounter, died of hemorrhagic shock due to firearm injury to the abdomen, the report says.

It also speaks of an ante mortem injury on the left shoulder and left upper arm was explored and debrided.

The postmortem report also states that Sharma had sustained injuries during crossfire in a police encounter in Jamia Nagar.

This article published in rediff.com and posted by Edwin