Jamia Teachers Solidarity Group organised a programme ‘Batla House Encounter – One Question’ at the Edward Said Hall of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) on February 20. The speakers at the programme felt that Batla Encounter has hurt not only the Muslims of India but the minorities across the world. Apart from the police, the media and judiciary are targeting Indian Muslims. Today, nobody talks of justice and equity rather the term ‘terrorism’ is being exploited to vitiate the atmosphere. All this has to stop. A book on Batla House Encounter was also released on the occasion. A detailed report on the Encounter was also released.
This report is based on the police statements, press reports, testimonies of families and friends of the accused and other documentary evidences. It highlights the numerous contradictions on the police version(s) about the ‘encounter’ and the accusations. The report also carries brief profiles of the accused in the case, including the two students killed. None of their actions puts them under suspicion: they enrolled as students, bought SIM cards in their respective names, signed a rent lease deed, duly verified by the police (copy in report), provided genuine address details etc.
Moreover, the day after the blasts in Delhi, there were several arrests and detentions in the Jamia Nagar area, which was common knowledge. It is highly unlikely that actual terrorists would make no attempt to move from neighbourhood which was obviously under the police scanner to a safer hideout. Testimonies of eyewitnesses at the Jan Sunwai (Public Hearing) held on October 12, 2009 at Batla House have also been included in the report. ‘Encounter’ at Batla House also highlights the contradictions in the ‘mastermind’ theories developed by various sate police departments. In addition, it carries profiles of all of those illegally detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the Delhi blasts; a section on virtual terror that anti-terror or special cells of the police departments unleash in the name of fighting terror: illegal detentions, false recoveries, forging evidence etc. Special reference is made to the case of Irshad Ali and Mohammad Qamar, who were implicated in false terror case by a team of the Delhi Police Special Cell. Incidentally, many members of this team were part of the Batla House ‘encounter’ too. The meeting demanded: (1) Judicial Probe headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court (2) The investigations must be transferred from the Delhi Police to the CBI (3) Exemplary punishment should be noted to police officers guilty of implicating innocent Muslim youth in false cases of terrorism (4) Adequate compensation and jobs should be provided to those acquitted in terror related cases.