Forensic tests unable to find cause of Khalid’s death

Khalid died mysteriously while returning to Lucknow jail in a police van in Barabanki after attending court proceedings in a Faizabad court on May 18. Khalid was accused in the serial blasts of Lucknow and Faizabad in November 2007. A case under the Explosives Act had also been pending against him in Barabanki court.

The police had sent Khalid’s viscera,heart and lung for a lab test after a panel of doctors could not find an exact cause of death in the autopsy the next day.

According to the forensic laboratory report,the experts conducted examination of the viscera including the stomach and its contents,part of the small intestine and its contents,a section of liver with gall bladder,sections of both kidneys and the spleen. The experts said in the report that no chemical toxicant was found in any part of the viscera during examination.

Similarly,the heart and lung of the deceased were examined at KGMU’s Department of Pathology by a panel of five doctors. The doctors conducted microscopic examination of each and every section of the heart and lung and said in the report that the study showed normal histology of the two organs.

Two separate inquiries are being conducted into the alleged lapses leading to Khalid’s death. While an inquiry is being done by the Faizabad chief judicial magistrate,another one is by a team comprising ADG (Power Corporation) Jawed Akhtar and secretary (Home) Rakesh.

Besides,a case on Khalid’s death had also been registered at City Kotwali police station of Barabanki under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 120-B (conspiracy). Those named in the case included ex-UP DGP Vikram Singh,then ADG (Law and Order) Brij Lal,who is presently posted as DG of Civil Defence Headquarters at Lucknow,and officials of UP ATS and STF and Intelligence Bureau.