Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Bhupendra Singh today said the SIMI activists who were gunned down in an encounter with police on October 31 after a jail-break were armed, contradicting the state ATS chief's statement that they had no weapons.
"According to the police's official report to us, the SIMI activists were armed during the encounter and they fired first," Mr Singh told PTI.
When it was pointed out that Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Sanjeev Shami had told NDTV that the SIMI activists were unarmed, Mr Singh said, "I have been informed officially that they were armed."
Asked if he was going to have a word with Mr Shami over the issue to clear the air, the minister replied in negative.
"The SIMI men were dreaded (criminals) and they fired first at the police. Police fired in defence, in which SIMI men were killed," Mr Singh added.
"The SIMI terrorists were expert in making weapons. They slit the throat of a guard in the jail after making a knife out of a plate which they left behind," the minister said.
"They might have procured arms in the jail or outside after fleeing. All this is being thoroughly probed," Mr Singh said.
"According to the police's official report to us, the SIMI activists were armed during the encounter and they fired first," Mr Singh told PTI.
When it was pointed out that Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Sanjeev Shami had told NDTV that the SIMI activists were unarmed, Mr Singh said, "I have been informed officially that they were armed."
"The SIMI men were dreaded (criminals) and they fired first at the police. Police fired in defence, in which SIMI men were killed," Mr Singh added.
Advertisement
"They might have procured arms in the jail or outside after fleeing. All this is being thoroughly probed," Mr Singh said.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Judicial Tribunal Confirms 5-Year Extension Of Ban On Terror Group SIMI India vs Sri Lanka Live Streaming 3rd T20I Live Telecast: When And Where To Watch Match Live India vs Sri Lanka Highlights, 3rd T20I: Suryakumar Yadav Shines As India Beat Sri Lanka In Super Over, Sweep Series 3-0 How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death J&K To Vote In 3 Phases, First Assembly Polls Since Article 370 Was Scrapped In Jammu And Kashmir, A Polling Station On LoC, Another Floats On Dal Lake Impetus Awarded 'Dream Employer of the Year 2024' for the Eighth Consecutive Year K1NGM4K3RS Inc. Aims to Bring Kabaddi to America Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.