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Journalism of Courage
JULY 13: A video recording of the incident at Ramabai Ambedkar Colony on Friday is likely to put to rest the controversy over the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker near the desecrated bust of Dr Ambedkar.
The police have been able to procure a video cassette on the horror on Friday. “The three minute video cassette has been procured from a private party by the police,” a senior official told the Express Newsline.
The official said the cassette contains the shooting of the brief incident when police opened fire on the violent mob. “It was clear from the video cassette that two of the demonstrators had climbed the LPG tanker and yet another was lying in a pool of blood just below the tanker after the police shot at him,” the official said.
In view of the controversy over the parking of the tankers, the video cassette will be handed over to the Commission of Inquiry, which will be set up soon after the Chief Justice of the High Court communicates the name of the judge for the purpose, the official said.
According to earlier reports, the tankers were parked away from Dr Ambedkar’s bust and police were promoting the tanker theory to protect themselves.The police had remarked that had the violent mob set the LPG tanker on fire, it would have endangered the safety of more than 5000 persons in the vicinity. Secondly, it was stated that the tankers and demonstrators were in opposite directions and when police resorted to lathicharge, troublemakers instantly left the spot. Thirdly, local residents had doubted whether the tankers were really filled with LPG. The official said the government has asked Commissioner of Police S C Malhotra to verify the charge. “It will be checked with the concerned oil companies as there will be official records and LPG tanker number,” the official said.
