Two days back two terrorists were killed by Delhi police in an encounter in the Jamia Nagar area of south Delhi. During the encounter Delhi police inspector MC Sharma, leading the team, also got killed from bullet injuries. The terrorists killed were the alleged people behind last week Delhi serial blast.
Yesterday’s newspapers were filled with condolence and the coverage of his last rituals, which were completed with state honours. Everyone mourned his death and talked about the loss. In yesterday’s newspaper only [The Hindu, page number 3] there was another news item which talked about the authenticity of this encounter.
There were reports from the local residents raising questions about the transparency of the whole episode. Some claimed that the alleged terrorists were innocent people whom the police have framed. They said that there were no cross firing from the terrorists side. Moreover no one was allowed inside the building in which the terrorists were hiding and got killed as police is hiding facts. Also there was only one entry/exit point in the building which was covered by the police. Had there been anyone else in the building it was not possible for them to escape, as claimed by the police about the escaping of 2 other terrorists.
The newspaper said ‘There is general feeling of insecurity on the campus. Students have been discussing if the encounter was for real. If those killed on Friday had a hand in the recent Delhi blasts, why would they stay put?’
I don’t have answers to all these questions right now. I don’t know if all these allegations are true or not. But what I do know is a brave police officer got killed in an encounter, which the local claims saw no cross firing. Strange isn’t it.
How can people even think of making such allegations? Well if they want to, so let them. But I fail to understand how a responsible newspaper can print something so much baseless and meaningless. If they can in this case, then imagine how much out of proportion they would have blown it, if the inspector would have lived without any injuries? Surely an enquiry would have been ordered to scrutinize the encounter and the inspector who led it. On top of it, if it would have happened in a BJP ruled state then we all know what shape the allegations would have taken place.
This is nothing new. Same things have already happened earlier, in our country, not in very distant past. We have the example of Gujarat in front of us. The officer in this case was another encounter specialist of the special cell named Vanjara. He along with his team wiped many terrorists and like this time people questioned the authenticity of those encounters. The state being Gujarat was under constant media scrutiny and the state chief minister Narendra Modi under criticism. So they threw Vanjara behind bars. Bad for him, he did not died in one of those encounters.
This wont sound very good, but inspector Sharma died so he is a martyr, had he survived he would have been another criminal, a trigger happy cop out on rampage killing innocent people of a particular community. Such would have been the decorations given by the media.
I guess it is high time we stop being hypocrite and except the truth. Tough steps are needed to be taken to fight the menace called terrorism. When such allegations are made by the media the community feels victimised and the feeling of resentment grows. This in turn fuels communal tension on both sides. When the government tries to escape its duty, presuming that the Muslim community will be upset, they them self label the entire community as terrorists.
None of the above is a right thing to do and it is our responsibility to make sure that this does not happen. The responsibility for what is happening in the country falls on the shoulders of everyone. Not any single person, agency or institution can be blamed or held responsible for that.
