Concern and demand for protection of riot witnesses has grown stronger, more particularly now after Nadeem Saiyed, a witness in Naroda Patia riot case, was murdered recently. The other witnesses of the case have sought for enhancement of protection from the SIT. After hearing their plea, the designated court has asked the SIT to review their security arrangement.
Six witnesses of the Naroda Patia riot case, namely Shakilabanu Firozahmed, Farzanabanu Pathan, Janantbibi Shaikh, Dildar Saiyed, Ishratjahan Saiyed and Salim Saiyed moved an application for reviewing their security arrangement. On Thursday, while moving the special designated court on the issue, they also contended that their protection for day time is satisfactory, but sought for better security arrangement at night.
The court hoped that the SIT will consider witnesses protection scheme as directed by the Supreme Court and also asked the SIT to submit a report on action taken.
While the witnesses have sought protection from the court, former IPS officer RB Sreekumar, has also written a letter to the chairman of SIT, RK Raghavan and DGP Chitranjan Singh seeking revitalisation of Witness Protection Scheme (WPS) ordered by Supreme Court.
In his letter Sreekumar states many riot witnesses and victims, who gave substantial evidence to the court and investigating officers on the culpable role of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been expressing their helplessness, panic and despair to him, after Saiyad was murdered.
He also alleged that policemen appointed for security of the witnesses are keener on knowing about the protected person's movements. There is no periodical monitoring of the security system and supervisory officers hardly interact with the protected people for their feedback about loop-holes in the system. He has further stated that owing to shortage of manpower, security personnel are found to working for longer hours.
Sreekumar has, in his letter, also suggested forming of a Special Threat Assessment Team (STAT) comprising senior police officers from the State Intelligence Branch, Central Intelligence Bureau (from its Gujarat State unit), District Police & Commissonerate and SIT, for better protection of witnesses.
