Shivraj Chouhan Defends Encounter, Says Opposition Playing Vote Bank Politics

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday after attending the last rites of head constable Ramashankar Yadav who was killed by the SIMI activists while they were attempting to escape from the high-security Bhopal central jail on Monday, slammed the opposition parties for questioning the authenticity of Bhopal encounter.

Hitting out at the opposition parties, the chief minister said, "Politicians are highlighting the encounter for vote bank politics while they can’t speak a word on the martyrdom of the slain constable."

He further said that probe will be ordered into jail-break incident and not the encounter.

As controversy raged over the police action after the daring pre-dawn jail-break, TV channels showed footage purportedly from the encounter site in which a policeman was seen pumping bullets into a man from close range after some unidentified person took out what appears to be a knife from one of the terror suspect.

Paying tribute to the deceased constable, Chouhan said, "He tried to stop the terror suspect alone. He was a responsible person and he sacrificed his life executing his duties·"

Sympathizing with Ramashankar Yadav's family, Chouhan said, "I have met them and I can understand their pain. Government will look after the family·"

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said NIA will probe the jail-break incident but parried a question on the encounter. He said Madhya Pradesh government will also carry out a separate investigation into the matter.