SIMI activists' encounter: Post-mortem report reveals multiple entry, exit wounds on bodies

The post-mortem report of the eight SIMI activists, who were killed in an alleged police encounter following a prison break in Bhopal, was released on Wednesday. According to the report, the multiple entry and exit wounds were observed on the chest of the operatives. Apart from several bullet shots above the waist, the preliminary report assessed by Pradesh18 reveals that some of the operatives were hit on the leg as well and their clothes have been sent to the forensic lab for further tests. [caption id=“attachment_3081712” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Police investigate the encounter site in Bhopal. PTI[/caption] The post-mortem was conducted at Bhopal’s Hamidiya Hospital. The activists had made keys using a toothbrush and wood with the which they unlocked the door of the prison and fled, the report stated. Bodies of seven of the eight SIMI activists were on Wednesday laid to rest in different parts of Madhya Pradesh amid tight security. Bodies of five deceased — Amjad Khan, Zakir Hussain, Mohammad Salik, Sheikh Mehboob and Aqueel Khilji — were buried in their home district - Khandwa. The five bodies were kept at Khilji’s residence at Gulmohar locality before being laid to rest at Bada Cemetery close to Abana river around 11 pm. Over 2,000 people took part in the funeral procession. At some places, to avoid any stampede-like situation, police had to drive people away, who had come to take a glimpse of the deceased. Around 700 police personnel, some of them in plain clothes kept a watch on the funeral procession, sources said. Meanwhile, one slain SIMI operative, Mohammad Khalid, who hailed from Maharashtra, was laid to rest in Bhopal. “Khalid was from Solapur, but his parents are no more and his brother, who was also a SIMI operative, is lodged in Bhopal Central Jail. Since nobody came to claim his body, he was laid to rest here by police,” a police officer said. Another deceased, Abdul Majid, was buried in his hometown at Mahidpur in Ujjain district. Meanwhile, the body of Sheikh Mujeeb was taken to Ahmedabad by his family members, his lawyer Parvez Alam said. The bodies were handed over to the family members after the post-mortem in Bhopal. While taking custody of the bodies, the relatives questioned the genuineness of the police encounter. The kin of Abdul Majid argued with police officials outside the morgue of Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal and alleged foul play in the way he was killed. Zakir Hussain’s mother Salma Bi and brother Azaz said the “conspiracy” needs to be probed thoroughly. “Zakir had told me that he did not feel safe and feared for his life,” Salma Bi said adding, “My son has attained martyrdom.” With inputs from PTI