The announcement of Rs 40 lakh cash award by the Madhya Pradesh chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the residents of Acharpura village, the site of alleged fake encounter in Bhopal where eight SIMI operatives were shot dead by police after jailbreak, has come in for criticism from various quarters.
The move is being seen as an attempt to silence the eyewitnesses at the encounter site.
SIMI encounter: Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered money to eyewitnesses to keep mouth shut?
A press release issued by MP government read, “The chief minister has announced this reward to those residents who helped police during the encounter. The money would be equally distributed among the citizens.”
The local leaders in the city has questioned chief minister’s motive in announcing the cash prize when the probe into the alleged jailbreak and subsequent encounter has not taken off, says a report in Firstpost online.
The report has quoted All India Milli Council state president Arif Masood as saying, “This is clearly planned with the motive to save themselves from uncomfortable situation.” Masood is also a senior Congress leader.
Another Bhopal based Muslim leader Mohammad Mahir has questioned the government prize and said that there are major contradictions in the statements of villagers about whether the SIMI operatives were armed or not, and other circumstances surrounding this encounter.
According to the report, some Acharpura villagers had told media that SIMI operatives didn’t carry any weapons when they were killed.
There were also contradictions in the statements of state Home Minister, IG Bhopal and ATS chief on whether the SIMI operatives were armed or not during the encounter.
Meanwhile, Awdhesh Bhargav, a Bhopal resident, has called SIMI encounter fake and said he will file a petition in High Court.