Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has ordered a high level probe into the incident of burning an 11-year-old boy in Army garrison in Mehdipatnam area of Hyderabad on Thursday.
Shaikh Mustafa, who was set ablaze allegedly by two Armymen in a high security Army garrison in Hyderabad on Wednesday, died in DRDO Apollo Hospital on Thursday morning.The boy was admitted to hospital in a very critical condition with more than 90 per cent burns. While the Army officials denied any role in the incident, the boy in a dying declaration before a magistrate said that two Armymen set him on fire.
Mustafa, who was initially rushed to Osmania Hospital, was later shifted to DRDO Apollo Hospital in view of his worsening condition.
“Two army men called me into their area. After slapping me they poured kerosene on me and set me on fire,” Mustafa told 15th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A Srinivas Kumar in his dying declaration on Wednesday evening. Mustafa was one of the five children of Muqeet, a driver, resident of Siddique Nagar in Ist lancer area adjacent to military garrison in Mehdipatanam.
As the news of Mustafa spread on Thursday morning, and his body was shifted to Osmania Hospital mortuary, angry residents gathered at the garrison gates and protested demanding action against the guilty Armymen. Additional Police and Task Force was deployed to prevent outbreak of violence.
Expressing his shock over the incident, Chief Minister announced Rs5 lakh ex-gratia to the family of Mustafa. Tension prevailed in the area after stone pelting on Wednesday following the incident.Meanwhile State minorities commission has suo moto booked a case of burning the boy alive and issued a note to the Hyderabad Police Commissioner and District Collector to submit a detailed report.
Meanwhile Army authorities have denied any role of their personnel in the incident. Chief Minister deputed a minister Padma Rao to visit the family of the victim and convey the sympathies.Tension prevailed in the area after stone pelting on Wednesday following the incident. As the police lathi-charged to disperse the protesting residents, the protestors resorted to stone pelting. They were demanding immediate arrest of the Armymen.
Two eyewitnesses Abdul Qadeer and Mohammed Khalid who found the boy in flames and tried to douse the fire, also gave their statements to the police.Humayunagar police station which had registered a case of attempt to murder and brutality on Wednesday, changed it to a murder case following the death of the boy.
Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Mustafa, student of a Madarsa. local MlA of MIM Jaffar Hussain Meraj was among those present at the burial amid tight security.
Meanwhile Army authorities have denied any role of their personnel in the incident. The press statement said, "It was brought to the knowledge of the Army authorities at Mehdipatnam military garrison that a 11-year-old boy was allegedly burnt by some Army personnel. On investigation it is found that this allegation is absolutely false and no Army personnel was involved in this incident. The Army condemns this act. All necessary assistance is being provided to the police authorities to carry out a detailed investigation to arrive at the truth".
The garrison belongs to 47 Basantar Infantry Brigade. The incident has come in the backdrop of a raging dispute between the Armymen and the residents of adjoining areas of First lancer, Siddique Nagar and Ahmad Nagar over using the road passing through the military area. Recently the Army had erected barbed wire fencing on the boundary with the civilian areas.
local people alleged that it had become a routine for the Army personnel to harass the residents and physical assault them. "They used to force local boys to fetch tea and cigarettes for them", a resident told this correspondent on condition of anonymity.
But, what provoked a brutal act like burning the boy alive is still unknown. "If not the Armymen who could have done it in a high security area," boy's father Muqeet asked.Meanwhile police investigation team, who visited the spot inside the garrison found a kerosene canister and a matchbox. Police believe that it was used in committing the crime.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahinder Reddy, who also visited the scene of offence, said that the police would not spare the culprits. "Officials of Basantar Brigade are extending full cooperation in the probe and permitted us for detailed inspection of the scene. We are investigating the incident from all angles".
Meanwhile State minorities commission has suo moto booked a case of burning the boy alive and issued a note to the Hyderabad Police Commissioner and District Collector to submit a detailed report.Commission Chairman Abid Rasool Khan, who raised the incident with the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the Governor ESl Narasimhan, recommended an ex-gratia of Rs 20 lakh to the boy's family.
"The Commission will be monitoring the case seriously and provide necessary inputs to the police to identify arrest and punish the guilty", Abid Rasool Khan said. He also demanded constituting a special team to inquire in to the incident.