MUMBAI, June 17: The police personnel involved in the firing at Ramabai Nagar on July 11 and subsequent investigations should be prosecuted and charged with murder as they are guilty of killing innocents, demanded lawyers representing local residents before the Gundewar Commission.Sanagraj Rupawate, representing local Congress corporator Namdeo Ubale, Babanrao Bansode for Republican Party of India's Chintaman Gangurde and Prabhakar Hegde for RPI's Vikas Pawar in their oral submissions have called for the prosecution of the State Reserve Police platoon led by Police Sub-Inspector Manohar Kadam, for opening fire killing 11 Dalits and Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone VI Sanjay Barve, Additional Commissioner of Police (North East) Ramrao Ghadge and other officials. The counsels have also charged the state government for submitting written arguments favouring the police.Accusing the police of deliberately ignoring the desecration of Dr Ambedkar's bust and conniving with the accused, Rupawate demanded thatthe case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation. "Even though there was a police chowky just 25-30 feet away from the statue, the police team failed in its duty of guarding the statue," he submitted. He alleged that Kadam did not inform the local police before opening fire, although rules on riot control state that for the SRP to quell a mob, a local police officer should give appropriate orders. Accusing Kadam of lying by stating that he was in constant touch with the control room, Rupawate pointed to the log sheets of the police control, which suggested that in fact, Kadam had not send a single message. In his evidence, Kadam had mentioned that there were 6,000 to 7,000 persons on the highway when the SRP fired the first shot from pole no 41 at Kamraj Nagar. But photographs submitted by Ravi Shinde, the amateur videographer, indicate that the platoon was stationed in front of Buddha Vihar, and not a single person could be seen on the highway. Rupawate also said the Investigation Officerhad stated in his report that he did not find any marks of firing near pole 41. The police have also failed to explain how he FIR was filed at 4.00 pm when the incident took place before 8.00 am, added Rupawate.In his submission, Bansode said the state government in its written arguments has said a fire brigade engine reached the spot at 7.15 am, much before the firing took place. This shows that the government is misleading the Commission, he alleged. He also said Kadam had, on various occasions, failed to obey the Commission's orders by remaining absent, forcing the commission the issue a non-bailable warrant against him. Such an irresponsible officer cannot be relied upon, added Bansode.Hegde submitted that Kadam had failed to report to ACP More, who was in charge of the situation before opening fire on the mob. Congress Counsel B A Desai added that there was no mention of a dog squad in the case diary maintained by the police, although the police claimed to have sought its services.
