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Cop tells probe panel he didn't know about desecration of Ambedkar statue

Suspended sub-inspector Manohar Kadam of the Maharashtra reserve police told the Gundewar Commission that he saw pieces of burning tyre being thrown close to the tanker parked near the burning bus at Ramabai Nagar on July 11.

The Commission is probing the riots and police firing following the desecration of an Ambedkar statue at Ramabai Nagar riots last year.

Kadam said he had actually seen the tanker's rear part alight, but could not be sure whether it was some object placed on the tanker burning or the tanker itself. He said he had not alerted the fire brigade or even his central control room as there was no time. He could gauge the feelings of the crowd as they moved towards the tanker, and he was sure they intended to burn it. He admitted he did not know whether the tanker left for Jalgaon the same evening.

Kadam said he did not instruct the driver of his van or any of his men to move the tanker away from the bus as the situation did not allow it. He said their entire platoon was under severe attack with stones. Moreover, the tanker driver had run away.

He said Havaldar P R Shinde had already given him a rough written account of the events that morning. However, he denied he had been informed of the desecration of the Ambedkar statute by miscreants.

After the first phase of firing, he continued, he had moved a few yards forward with his men and had seen a small section of the mob moving towards the tanker. He could not recall whether his men had tried to push the bus away from the tanker.

He admitted when they had arrived on the scene there was no truck or any other vehicle near the tanker. There were two police jeeps near the bus, and the police officers had succeeded in calming the crowd by just talking to them.

Kadam denied he had deliberately refrained from alerting his seniors. He said he had personally shown the ragballs and burning tyre pieces to his superiors -- but since they were his seniors he did not feel it proper to venture any advice.

UNI

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