Police harassment drove him to commit suicide

 

Md Aqeel committed suicide at his home in Nasheymaan Nagar in Hyderabad on February 20, 2012 allegedly following the police harassment in connection with a communal riot case against him.

 

Please find below a report by PUCL fact finding committee on the suicide of Md Aqeel:  

 

We P.U.C.L. members have formed a team of 7 members as Fact Finding Committee and visited Bhavani Nagar Police Station , Mogalpura Police Station, A.C.P – Santosh Nagar Division and D.C.P-C.C.S, Hyderabad  regarding the suicide of Md.Aqeel S/O Md.Ayaaz,  Age 24 Years, Occ: Worker in Chappal Shop, R/O Nasheymaan Nagar, Bhavani Nagar, Hyderabad. 

 

 

1)    Jaya Vindhayala (State President)

2)    Md.Iqbal Khan ( State Vice-President)

3)    Feroz Khan   ( Twin Cities E C Member)

4)    Saleem (Twin-Cities Vice-President)

5)    Omer Uddin (PUCL Member)

6)    B.Kranthi Kiran (PUCL Activist)

7)     Nagaraju  (PUCL Activist)

 

We visited the Bhavani Nagar  police station on 24-02-2012 and took the permission at the reception to meet the Station house Officer i.e. Circle Inspector of Police (C.I), the constable told us that he is not in the station and asked us to call him once.

 

One of our team member called C.I and he told that he is not feeling well and he will take some more time to come to the police station.

 

We then immediately called the assistant commissioner of Police, Santosh Nagar Division, he told us that he is in a meeting with the Commissioner of Police and he will also come little late to the Office.

 

We waited in the office room of the Sub-Inspector of Police, our team members observed that their were Guthka spits all over on the walls of the Lock-up cell and there was a foul smell in the station.

 

 We waited for 20 minutes in the station and then we went to the Moghal Pura Police Station.

 

We proceeded to the Moghal Pura Police station, at 17:00 hrs, we took the permission at the reception and the constable told us that the farewell party of one of the inspector of police, is going on.

 

We waited in the hall of the police station and we observed that the Lock-up cell was full of  items that belongs to the police personnels like lathi sticks, Jackets etc and there were guthka spits on the walls of the lock-up cell. 

 

After the farewell function of the outgoing C.I was over we went to the chamber of the C.I and introduced ourselves that we are from P.U.C.L and told that we came to as a Fact Finding Committee about the suicide of Md.Aqeel against whom a case was booked against him in this police station alleging his involvement in the communal riots in 2010 and they opened Rowdy sheet against Akhil.

 

In responce,  he told us that he himself opened the case but later it was transferred  to the Bhavani Nagar Police Station as he was residing in the Nasheemeeyan Nagar which comes under the limits of Bhavani Nagar.

 

He further told us that the Nashemeeyan Nagar is a sensitive area where both the communities indulge into fights even on minor issues and does not mind even killing eachother.

 

He also told us that in this police station ten cases of communal riots are pending and police will open rowdy sheets against those involved in the riots.

 

Valmiki Nagar is another sensitive area in the Moghalpura Police Station limits and we spoke to the leader of the Valmiki Nagar regarding the atmosphere between both the communities with the help of COVA (A NGO). 

 

He told us that we have asked all those who are involved in the communal riots to stay away from the riots otherwise Rowdy Sheets will be opened against them. 

 

"We would think over the closure of the rowdy sheets against those persons who are involved in the communal riots and at present 13 Rowdy Sheets are pending in this Police Station," he added.

 

He further stated that there are Standing orders given by the Director General of Police regarding the closure of rowdy sheets (Communal Riots) and till now we have closed 6 to 7 cases.

 

On 28-02-2012, We met the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Santosh Nagar Division at 18:45, introduced ourselves and said that we have come  as the Fact Finding Committee about the suicide of Md.Aqeel in Bhavani Nagar Police Station limits on 20-02-2012 which comes under your jurisdiction and asked him about the case.

 

He said that the case was transferred to the Special Investigation team, Central Crime Station, Nampally, Hyderabad.

 

He told us that suspect sheet has also been booked against his elder brother Khaleel who is 31 years old AND HE FURTHER STATED THAT AQEEL’S SUICIDE CASE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND STILL  PENDING.

 

He  gave us a report of status of the pending cases in his jurisdiction consisting of Madannapet, Bhavani Nagar, Kanchanbagh and Santhosh Nagar  Police Stations. As per the records-  number of  Suspect Sheets  in Communal riots (19), Non-Communal riots(60), Number of  Sheets Booked in a  Single case like Rowdy Sheets (11) and Suspects  Sheets (16) and Number of Rowdy  Sheets in  Communal ( 29) and in Non –Communal(66).

 

He further stated that if any doubt arises they call the leaders of the area as well as MIM and BJP leaders have told them that if  any UNCONTROLLABLE communal riots OCCUR in THEIR RESPECTIVE localities, the whole responsibility will be of the leaders only and the cases will be booked against the leaders ALSO under section146, 147,148,324 and 427 of IPC.

 

He stated that if a criminal CASE is PENDING AGAINST THE PERSON and if he does not indulge in a communal riot for five years than all the criminal cases will be closed against him and for those who are aged above 50 years also cases of communal riots will be closed.

 

Then, We visited the Bhavani Nagar Police Station at 20:00 HRS  and we met the Station House  Officer and  told that we have come as a Fact Finding Committee  about the suicide of Md.Akhil against whom a communal riot case is pending in this police station.

 

He told us that Md.Aqeel was having financial problem and was involved in Cricket betting and a Sub-Inspector of Police has been appointed as the probe officer regarding his Suicide and he is conducting the investigation, but his family members are not co-operating and not providing us the correct information.

 

 He further stated that Md.Aqeel was a very nice person and he was also very sensitive. 

 

"Md.Aqeel would speak to me regularly and before he committed suicide he told me that he is going to Mumbai to bring the Chappal material for the shop where he was working," he added.

 

 He said Md Aqeel might have committed suicide as a suspect sheet was booked against his elder brother Khallel.

 

He also told us that his suicide note has been sent to the Forensic Laboratory.

 

On 12-03-2012, We, P.U.C.L team met the D.C.P, C.C.S, Hyderabad. He told us that the issues related to the communal riots were investigated by the Special Investigation Team (S.I.T) under his supervision. 

 

He directed the S.I.T Circle Inspector to give us the details related to Md.Aqeel

 

The Circle Inspector told us, in 2010 three communal riots cases were registered, Crime No 34/2010(this was registered on 29-03-2010) were  Registered by the Bhavani nagar Police Station and Crime No 44/2010 in relevance to Late Md Aqeel, who was arrested using PT Warrants. 

 

Another case Registered by the Moghalpura Police Station was as Crime No. 41/2010 (this was registered on 31-03-2010) and the same was transferred to Bhavani Nagar Police Station.

 

 No charge sheet was filed till today and still investigation is going on.  

  

 

1) There were no photographs of national leaders in the Bhavani Nagar Police Station, Moghal Pura Police Station and Office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, But there were Photos of the God or Goddess in every Police Station  like Sai Baba/Venkateshwara Swamy/ etc.

 

2) We couldn’t understand that, they said that the Communal Case on Md.Aqeel was being investigated by the C.C.S ( Crime Nos: 34/2010, 41/2010 and 44/2010 ) and they said that the case of suicide (FIR No 30/2012, U/S 174 Cr.P.C, dated: 20-02-2012, Bhavani Nagar Police Station, Hyderabad ) was being investigated by the S.I. of Bhavani Nagar Police Station, Hyderabad ???

 

3) Md.Aqeel is a resident in the limits of the Bhavani Nagar Police Station and if the communal riots take place in the limits of the Bhavani Nagar Police Station. Why was the case filed against him in the Moghal Pura Police Station?? Why was a Rowdy Sheet opened in the Moghal Pura Police Station itself??Why was it then transferred to the Bhavani Nagar Police Station?? .

 

4) Communal Riots always takes place under the influence of a communal leader then why wasn’t a single case filed against these Political leaders??

 

5) It was known through the paper media that a political leader who came to consolidate on Md.Aqeel’s  death was attacked by Leaders /activists of another political party and why didn’t the government respond  on this??

 

6) The death of Md.Aqeel who was involved (as per police officials) in the Communal Riots, but then why didn’t the Home Ministry, Law and Order Ministry gave a proper review on this?? The Government itself tells that the communal riots matter is a very sensitive, why didn’t the government take proper action on this??

 

7) The Police are not taking independent actions so the Communal Riots are increasing Day-by-Day. Some of the Police Personnels a re working as pets for some Political Party’s; this is also a reason for the Communal Riots.

 

8)  There is a lot of influence and threats on the Police Officials by Some Of the Political Leaders who are fanatic religion based fundamentalists especially in the Old City.

 

 9) The Police harassed Md.Aqeel regularly.

 

10) We got the credible information that the A.S.I (Mr.Basheer), Moghalpura Police Station and Constable (Mr. Rahamaan) of Bhavani Nagar Police Station have harassed him.

 

11) The Police would call this Md.Aqeel regularly to both the Police Stations Bhavani Nagar and Moghalpura and constables and other officials demanded money from him for closing the Rowdy Sheet.

 

 12) The Police are behaving like Licensed Human Slaughters.

 

 

 

1)    The Government should appoint an enquiry commission not less than The Sitting District judge  on the enquiry of the total incident of the suicide of Md. Aqeel, then only whatever the facts in the incident will come out and Justice will happen to general public than only we can control  (some of ) the  police officials illegal acts.

 

2)    The Government should take action by prosecution on the Police officials who harassed Md.Aqeel and became a reason for his suicide.

 

3)   The Government should revive all the cases of the Communal Riots till now and should close the Rowdy Sheets immediately.

 

4)   An Intellectual committee having independent powers consisting of members of Civil Rights, Human Rights, Social Organisations and Concerned Government Officials should be formed immediately, to control the Communal Riots. The Government should take guidelines from this Committee only, for the prevention of these, then only the Communal Riots can be controlled.

 

5)  The government should give Compensation  to the family of Md.Aqeel and the Suspect  Case filed against his brother Md.Khaleel should be removed immediately.          

 

6)  The Government should guide the Police Officials to register the cases against the Political Leaders who are responsible to the Communal Riots instead of innocent persons like Md.Aqeel