Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said only a detailed inquiry would unravel the truth behind the encounter but prima facie he was not a terrorist
PATNA: Condemning the killing of Patna youth Rahul Raj by Mumbai police on Monday, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said only a detailed inquiry would unravel the truth behind the encounter but prima facie he was not a terrorist and did not have a criminal background.
"If Rahul had any intention of harming the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief he would have gone straight to Raj Thackeray's residence instead of supposedly hijacking a bus to hold innocent passengers hostage," a press release issued by the deputy chief minister's office said.
The television footage of the encounter suggests that Rahul wanted to convey a certain message through the media and the police and hence he appeared to have sought a mobile phone. "The gunning down of Rahul by the Mumbai police does not appear justified," Modi said.
"Rahul's action, coming as it does in the wake of outrageous violence by MNS against Biharis reflects the pent up anger they have against it. It shows how angry the common Biharis are at the insult and the violence they are being subjected to," he said.
The Mumbai police could have immobilised the youth by shooting him in his hand or leg and captured him. "Instead it chose to shoot him in such a way so as to kill him," Modi said adding had Rahul been overpowered by the police the motive behind what he did, his sentiments and other realities related to the incident could have been ascertained.
Modi termed the statement of Maharashtra home minister R R Patil that the police did the right thing as "immature and irrational" and said it could effect investigation.
He appealed to the people of Bihar to maintain restraint and harmony and said the attention of the Centre was being drawn towards the activities of MNS.
Meanwhile, CPI-ML(Liberation) too condemned the killing and demanded a high-level inquiry into the entire episode.
State CPI-ML(L) secretary Santosh Sahar said the incidents of fake police encounter were on the rise posing a grave threat to democracy and justice.
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