bdnews24.com :
As the Human Rights Watch (HRW) demands trials of RAB members who allegedly maimed Jhalakathi’s youth Limon Hossain, the state minister for home has sought to water it down as a “mere accident”.
“The accident took place while there was a raid going on for a notorious criminal,” Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, one of the bullets hit Limon’s leg. It’s a mere accident.”
Limon was injured in an alleged gunbattle with elite police unit at Jhalakathi’s Rajapur Upazila on
March 23, 2011. Doctors amputated one of his legs to save the HSC candidate’s life.
RAB implicated him in two cases branding him a criminal over the incident. The cases have been recently withdrawn. Limon’s mother, on the other hand, sued six RAB personnel for allegedly trying to kill her son. The case is yet to be resolved.
The New York-based HRW, in a statement on Tuesday, welcomed dropping of cases against Limon but stressed that the government should take actions against the RAB members who shot Limon to maim him.
It said those who brought false allegations against Limon and tried to mislead the trial process should be put on trial.
Responding to a query on the issue, State Minister Kamal said, “Cases against him (Limon) were withdrawn when it was proved that it was a mere accident and he was not involved.”
Asked if those responsible would be tried, he skirted a direct answer. “According to RAB, the accident took place as Limon was present at the spot close to the notorious criminal. They (RAB) did not fire upon Limon.”
The state minister claimed “one or two people suffer unfortunate losses” during a drive and Limon just happened to be one of them.
“Limon’s incident has been investigated. If anyone is found involved with it, if anyone deliberately committed any mistake, then they’ll face actions.
“But if it turns out to be a case of unfortunate incident and not a willful act, then we’ll analyse it,” he said.
