Attack for Ishrat Jahan's mom, rash driving for cops

The mother of Ishrat Jahan – a collegian who was shot dead in a fake police encounter in Ahmedabad in 2004 for alleged terror links – has claimed that two motorcycle-borne men tried to attack her in Mumbra around 12.30am on Wednesday.

While one of them was arrested and released on bail, the other is absconding. Shamima Kausar, who had returned from Ahmedabad with a couple of social activists, claimed that they heard a crashing sound near the Amrut Nagar locality.

"The rear-view mirror of our car was smashed. We saw two men behind us fall off their bike. While the pillion rider fled, the rider was nabbed by a few people who were at the spot," said Kausar. The police said they have recovered an "air-gun" from the spot where the two men had fallen off their bike.

The Mumbra resident's daughter was shot dead in June 2004 along with three others on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The Gujarat police had claimed that Ishrat and the three other youths were members of the terror outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba. They alleged that the four were on a mission to kill Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

Earlier this week, Kausar had visited Gujarat as the central investigation agency is expected to present its report on the fake encounter case on July 4.

The police identified the arrested man as Yunus Ansari, a Mumbra resident. He was produced in the Thane court on Wednesday. The absconding man has been identified as Firoz Kalia, a Bhiwandi resident.

Kausar, who has been fighting for justice for her dead daughter, said after recording her statement, the police registered a case of rash driving. "According to me, this is false," she said.

"I have to go to Ahmedabad on July 4 for the court hearing. If they can do this here, I shudder to think what the situation in Gujarat could be," said Kausar.

Second such assault
A social activist who is helping Ishrat Jahan's family to get justice, was attacked in February this year. The activist, Munna Sahil who was also present with Shamima Kausar in the car on Wednesday, said that the police had blamed him for the attack, saying that it was a publicity stunt.

"Neither did they arrest the culprits nor proved that the firing was a fake attempt as they claim. This time too they're taking things lightly," said Sahil.