Thursday, April 26, 2007

Protest over Hafiz Kamaluddin's custody death


A protest was held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday. Several Muslim groups including madarsa students, raised slogans against Delhi police.

The local residents allege that Hafiz Kamaluddin was beaten to death in police custody. They are also angry over the claims of police that Kamaluddin was mentally disturbed.

"If he was mentally challanged then how could he teach hundreds of students for over a decade at the Madarsa", said the demonstrators. Local residents remember him as an intelligent and law-abiding citizen.

His wife Mubarak Khatoon says that when police brought her husband to hospital, his feet were tied and he was naked. Angry residents had earlier set afire the police outpost after the death of Hafiz Kamaluddin. Scores of vehicles were damaged as a mob had gone on rampage in Sultanpuri.

The cops say that Kamaluddin was deranged and was hurling stones at some people at night and the angry people beat him to death. (Who were these people?) However, nobody is buying this story. Several delegations including MPs, MLAs and prominent citizens have visited the Prem Nagar locality in Sultanpuri.

Police allegedly got cable network disconnected in the area to stop news from reaching the public. A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. Tension prevails in the locality and para-military forces staged a flagmarch.