HYDERABAD: The State Minorities Commission for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will soon appoint an advocate commissioner to inquire and prepare a detailed report on the recent Alair encounter in which five suspected terror operatives were killed.
The advocate commissioner will visit the location of the encounter and examine witnesses, said Abid Rasool Khan, Chairman, State Minorities Commission. The report will be submitted within 15 days after its appointment.
The commission said it had received several petitions from social activists and minority groups seeking a fresh report on the encounter. “After examining the petitions, we have decided to obtain legal opinion from the standing counsel and send recommendations to the government in the interest of justice,” said Khan. The commission has already received a report on the encounter from the SP, Nalgonda and is awaiting another report from the DG, Prisons, Telangana.
Addressing a press conference here after a monthly review meeting, commission members said they had also sought a report on the alleged custodial death of a Muslim youth, Shaik Hyder, from Nizamabad. The commission has recently taken up the suo motu and sought reports from the district collector and SP of Nizamabad. The commission has received reports and is pursuing the case.
The panel has decided to send a four-member team to Nizamabad on May 8 after receiving petitions from different organisations alleging torture by police behind the death of Hyder. The team will interact with police officials, revenue officials, family of the victim and local religious heads in Nizamabad. They will submit a report to the commission, Khan said.
The commission also took up other two cases of harassment and discrimination against members of the minority communities. An enquiry has been initiated in a case where a Muslim woman, Raheema Bi of Ranga Reddy district killed herself by consuming poison after alleged harassment by police. A sub-inspector has already been suspended in this matter, said Khan.
In another case, the commission directed the district collector of Karimnagar and chief engineer of Sri Ram Sagar Project to provide employment to three men from minority communities within 15 days under the displaced persons of lower Manair dam reservoir job scheme. These men alleged they were denied employment under BC-E reservations despite belonging to the eligible category.
More Cases Under Panel’s Scanner
The commission also took up other two cases of harassment and discrimination against members of the minority communities. An enquiry has been initiated in a case where a Muslim woman, Raheema Bi of RR district killed herself by consuming poison after alleged harassment by police. An SI has already been suspended in this matter. In another case, the commission directed Karimnagar collector and chief engineer of SRSP to provide employment to three men from minority communities within 15 days under the displaced persons of LMD job scheme.
Assistance Centre for Minorities
The State Minorities Commission for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday announced several initiatives for the welfare of minorities. It decided to set up a new assistance centre, a reference library and conduct district reviews. The assistance centre for minorities will come up at the panel’s office on the Rajbhavan Road. It will be dedicated to address grievances of minorities regarding scholarships and other government welfare schemes. The centre will be operational from May 15.