E-Paper
16 years on, cop who fired in mosque faces charges
In a development that echoes what is happening in the Gujarat riot cases, a Mumbai police officer faces prosecution 16 years after he ordered his men to open fire on people praying in a city mosque. Vignesh Iyer reports.
In a development that echoes what is happening in the Gujarat riot cases, a Mumbai police officer faces prosecution 16 years after he ordered his men to open fire on people praying in a city mosque.
Six persons were killed when sub-inspector Nikhil Kapse and his men allegedly fired at a group of 100 offering afternoon namaz at the Hari Masjid at Wadala on January 10, 1993, during the Mumbai riots.
On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a first information report against Kapse but only after the Bombay High Court ordered it to probe the case. Kapse faces the murder charge and could get the life sentence if found guilty.
When contacted Kapse told Hindustan Times that he was unaware of the development. “I do not know if an FIR has been registered. At the same time, I do not want to comment on the issue.”
The Srikrishna Commission that probed the 1992-93 riots had indicted Kapse for the Hari Masjid firing, which it had termed unjustifiable.
The High Court came into the picture after Farooq Mapkar, who was injured in the firing and then arrested for rioting, filed a public interest litigation.
The police version that they had to open fire as the mob turned unruly had few takers in Mumbai and all 57 arrested for rioting have been acquitted by the courts.
Mapkar said he would fight the case till the guilty were brought to book.
