MAY 23: A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation councillor has demanded that the National Human Rights Commission press the Central Bureau of Investigation to institute an inquiry into police encounters in the city.

In a letter written to the NHRC Chairman Mr Venkatchalliah, Samajwadi corporator Nasir Jamal demanded that ``this gross violation of human rights should be stopped immediately.''

The letter, released to reporters on Thursday, questioned the necessity for such encounter killings. Jamal said Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde's claim in the state assembly that encounters had been effective in curbing gangwars since the Sena-BJP alliance came into power were proved untrue.The gunning down of trade union leader Datta Samant and a host of other citizens showed that the law and order situation had not improved, he argued.

Quoting Munde's statement that 85 criminals had been killed so far in police encounters, Jamal questioned as to who decided the killing of the so-called criminals.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.