Headlines
Nine AAI officials arrested for CISF trooper's murder
Kozhikode (Kerala), June 12
Nine Airport
Authority of India (AAI) officials were on Friday arrested on charges of
culpable homicide not amounting to murder in connection with the death
of a CISF trooper in a brawl at Kozhikode airport.
B. Santhosh, a
member of Kerala Police probe team probing the Wednesday night brawl
between Central Industrial Security Force and Airports Authority of
India officials, told IANS that all nine accused - attached with fire
and rescue department - would be produced before a magistrate on
Saturday.
The body of 44-year-old CISF jawan A.S. Yadav, was
flown to Mumbai from Kochi on Friday morning, from where it would be
flown to his hometown Varanasi.
"The arrests were made after
checking CCTV footage at the airport several times. The probe is
continuing and as and when more evidence is secured, further arrests
will be made," said Santhosh, a circle inspector attached to Kondotty
police station in Malappuram district, where the case was registered.
A
silver nitrate test conducted on CISF inspector Sitaram Choudhary's
pistol, from which the shot that killed Yadav was fired, led police to
conclude that a scuffle occured between CISF and AAI officials, which
attracted the charge of culpable homicide and not murder.
Additional
Director General of Police N. Shankar Reddy, in a report submitted on
Friday to state police chief T.P. Senkumar, observed that since only
officials of different agencies at the airport were involved in the
scuffle and there was no trespass by outsiders, the incident could not
be considered breach of security.
Sources said Reddy's report, based on CCTV footage at the airport, would be forwarded to the centre.
The
visuals reportedly show angry CISF personnel damaging property inside
and outside the airport after coming to know of Yadav's death. A case
has since been registered against CISF personnel for vandalism.
Kerala Police had put at least 15 officials attached with fire and rescue department under watch since Thursday morning.
Three officials, including CISF inspector Choudhary, are recovering at the hospital.
Apart from Kerala police, other agencies operating at the airport are also preparing reports on the shooting.
The
union home ministry, which has taken a very serious note of the
incident, is expected to call a meeting of officials of different
departments/agencies to ensure that such incidents are not repeated at
other airports in the country.
Skirmishes have been reported
between officials of CISF and other government departments/agencies at
other airports in India in the past.