A video of a policeman shooting a SIMI member at the encounter site, when the outlaw was lying on the ground without any movement, raised several questions.
The suspects were killed after they escaped from the Bhopal Central Jail, killing a head constable. The encounter by the Madhya Pradesh police took place at the Eintkhedi village just hours after the prison break.
The police described the encounter as a raging gun battle, with the SIMI members instigating the gunfire. However, in a video obtained shot by the sarpanch of the Acharpura village, the police were seen shooting at a man, who was not retaliating, in close range. It is unclear whether the men being fired at are dead or injured.
Additionally, no firearms can be seen on the SIMI men. Unidentified voices urge the shooter to fire "ek aur", (one more round). However, the cop declines. At the start of the video, a policeman pulls out one metal object — possibly a dagger — stuffed down the trousers of a man lying on the ground.
The only weapons that were recovered from SIMI members were knives. The encounter took place at about 10 am on Monday and the Madhya Pradesh Government went public with the same at 11 am. Police reactions were not available immediately.