IM terrorist Shahzad tells police that his bullet may not have hit the slain Delhi Police inspector at the Batla House shootout. He had planted bombs in Connaught Place in September 2008

'I am not sure I killed MC Sharma'

IM terrorist Shahzad tells police that his bullet may not have hit the slain Delhi Police inspector at the Batla House shootout. He had planted bombs in Connaught Place in September 2008

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh let out a smile.
He was reading MiD DAY after a busy day in office and felt a little better after facing a barrage of questions over his reported comments in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, on the Batla House encounter.
Guess, who had come to his rescue? No, it was not some senior party functionary. It was Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Shahzad, one of the prime accused in the September 13, 2008 serial blasts in the national capital.

Face of terror: Indian Mujahideen ultra Shahzad alias Pappu was
arrested by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad on February 1 from
Khalispur village in Azamgarh districtu00a0file photo

Shahazad, alias Pappu, one among the three IM terrorists involved in the controversial shootout that followed the serial blasts, has told the Delhi Police that he may not have killed Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma. Two terrorists were killed in the encounter along with the senior Delhi Police officer at a flat in Okhla, near the Jamia Millia Islamia University.

True lies
Highly-placed sources in the Delhi Police told MiD DAY that the ambiguous statement by the IM terrorist had the force in a tizzy, as they are prosecuting Shahzad for the murder of MC Sharma apart from the blasts cases.
Shahzad had planted two bombs in Connaught Place, of which only one went off near Central Park.
"I fired a bullet when I came to know that a police team has cornered us. I fired indiscriminately and I am not sure whether I hit Mohan Chand Sharma or not," the sources quoted Shahzad telling the interrogators at the Crime Branch.

Shahzad was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad on February 1 from Khalispur village in Azamgarh district. He was handed over to the Delhi Crime Branch officials for investigations into his role in the serial bomb blasts that rocked the national capital in 2008.

Leading shooter
The sources also told MiD DAY that according to Shahzad he was the first to open fire at the raiding party that came to the L 18 flat in Batla House. Inspector Sharma was leading the team.
"Shahzad said he fired two shots and then escaped from the spot. He could not recall clearly whether it was he who hit the Inspector or it was someone else. The mystery will be solved only after we recover the weapon," the sources said.

Who was MC Sharma?
Sharma served the Delhi police for 19 years. He joined the Delhi Police as a sub-inspector in 1989 and was instrumental in the killing of 35 alleged terrorists and the arrest of another 80 alleged militants, according to an authorised Delhi police statement. He was honoured with seven gallantry medals, including the President's Police Medal for Gallantry in 2003 and 2007 and Police Medals for Gallantry in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. He also received 150 rewards for exemplary performance.

What Digvijay said?

Without taking the names of the two alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives killed in the encounter, Atif and Chhota Sajid, natives of Sanjarpur town in Azamgarh, the Congress general secretary had said on Februrary 3: "I have seen the photographs of one of the boys killed in the encounter... The photo shows a bullet pierced his head... It should be noted that normally in encounters, one is not shot in the head."
However, a day after he retracted from the statement, saying: "I have only said that bullet injury in head not appear normal in encounters," quickly adding, "As I have not conducted any inquiry, I am no one to tell about the encounter."
"Though it's true that the aggrieved party was not satisfied by the human rights commission enquiry into the shootout... I got complaints that the version of the aggrieved party was not taken by the commission," he said.

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