Burning family case in AP, two held

The Andhra Pradesh police arrested two persons -- Chandrabhanu and Jadhav Vinod alias Vinayak -- in connection with the burning of six members of a family in Vatoli village of Adilabad district during the recent communal riots.

The arrest announcements were made simultaneously by the IG, CB CID VSK Kamudi in Hyderabad and superintendent of police Anil Kumar in Adilabad. But neither the arrested persons were produced before the media in Bhainsa nor the SP answered any queries. But police sources said the arrested persons belong to Hindu Vahini, a front organisation of Bajrang Dal.

Kamudi said that both were residents of Vatoli village and had admitted their involvement in the burning the family of Mahubu Khan in the early hours of October 12 in Vatoli village, 11 km away from the riot-hit Bhainsa town. The arrests were made by the CB CID sleuths and the accused were produced before the local court which remanded them to the judicial custody.

Cases of arson, criminal conspiracy and premeditated murder were booked against the accused.

Director General of Police SSP Yadav on the other hand told the media in Hyderabad that the police had identified 10 persons involved in Vatoli village and all of them will be arrested soon.

"Using scientific methods we have proved that this was a case of murder and not an accident," Yadav said, after a high-level meeting with the Chief Minister. Yadav said that all the wanted persons were from Andhra Pradesh.

According to unofficial sources, a local advocate and education department employee were among the wanted persons.

During the high-level review, the chief minister directed the police to take stringent action against culprits of Bhainsa and Vatoli and ensure that they are convicted and punished by the courts.

 Yadav said that 136 people were arrested in connection with the Bhainsa riots and they include the members of both the communities.

Meanwhile, a two-member team of the National Minorities Commission, after visiting Bhainsa said that the riots in Bhainsa and Vatoli incident were preplanned.

 "The mischief of the communal forces has now spread from urban areas to villages", Zoya Hasan said. The team will submit its report to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.