Mayawati for judicial probe into SIMI members' killings

Lucknow, Nov 1: BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the police "encounter" on the outskirts of Bhopal in which eight SIMI members were killed.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the events leading to the escape of the undertrials from the Bhopal Central Jail and the subsequent shootout on Monday had raised many questions.

There were contradictory statements emanating from Madhya Pradesh, she said in a statement.

While it was being said that the terrorists were unarmed and were apparently trying to talk and surrender, they were still killed, the Bahujan Samaj Party leader said.

"Prima facie the matter appears to be very suspicious and only a judicial probe can answer these doubts," she said.

She alleged that use of police force for furthering its political agenda was not new to BJP-ruled states and pointed out that attempts to hush up the Vyapam scam showed the Madhya Pradesh Police in poor light.

"There are many other incidents in MP which reflect the ideology of the BJP to use police to serve its political ends," she added.

Political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, have raised doubts about the so-called encounter and called for a probe.