Two days later, hunt for links

But the Thane police, after searching Ishrat’s house in Mumbra, said they had ‘‘nothing on the girl’’ so far: ‘‘We have still not found any evidence that could lead to the girl’s links with any terrorist group.’’

Ishrat’s mother Shamina said that her daughter did leave for Ahmedabad on the night of June 12. But she didn’t tell anyone of Ishrat’s whereabouts because she didn’t want tongues to wag.

Echoing the mother’s fears, Shakila Khan (45), who heads a local body which has been helping the family since the death of Ishrat’s father Mohammad Shamim Raza two years ago, said: ‘‘She (Ishrat) might have been in love with one of the boys killed in the encounter.’’

Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil, in the meantime, has sought a report on Ishrat from the police within three days. ‘‘I have asked authorities to conduct an inquiry whether the girl was involved in any criminal activity or had any crime record. Only after I receive the report will I be able to say anything in this regard,’’ he said.

Earlier, Gujarat Congress leader Amarsinh Chaudhary demanded a CBI probe, alleging that the encounter was ‘‘fabricated’’.

Gujarat police were tightlipped after their Thane counterparts’ statement. ‘‘I cannot comment on the issue before talking to Thane police,’’ Ahmedabad police commissioner K R Kaushik told reporters.

The Detection of Crime Branch, which intercepted the car carrying the four and gunned them down, has approached the Pakistan High Commission to collect the bodies of Jishan Joher and Amjadali Akbarali Rana. Of the four, the DCB said that these two were Pakistan nationals.

‘‘We have initiated the process of transfering the custody of the bodies to their family members through the authorities concerned. A letter has also been sent to the Pakistan High Commission,’’ said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) D G Vanjara.

The families of Ishrat Jahan and Javed alias Praneshkumar Pillai have been approached through the police commissioners of Mumbai and Pune to collect the bodies.

But in Mumbra, as news of Ishrat’s death spread, angry community members gathered near her apartment.

Shops downed shutters in protest and Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi, who visited the family, said he would be demanding a CBI inquiry into the killing.