UP: Muslim Youth Encounters Fatality While Going to Buy Vegetables, Dies During Treatment

Muzaffarnagar- A young Muslim man who left home to buy vegetables in Uttar Pradesh reportedly faced an encounter with the police on January 16, resulting in his death during treatment. The police claimed that the youth was involved in a car theft incident, leading to the encounter. However, the family insists he had no connection to the theft and was brutally killed.

Matin, a 23-year-old resident of Muzaffarnagar, sold vegetables to support his family, met a tragic end on January 16, allegedly in a police encounter that has sparked controversy.

Referred to as Bilal or Billa, Matin left home at 5 AM that day to purchase vegetables from the market but did not return for lunch. Disturbingly, the family received a call later from an unknown number that day from Matin, claiming he had been shot by the police and was at Medical Hospital, Meerut. The family, unable to get any response on the given mobile number, decided to visit the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, they found Matin seriously injured on a stretcher, surrounded by police officers who denied them access. Matin's family, desperate for answers, faced further frustration as they were repeatedly told they would be allowed to meet him, only to discover the next day that he had passed away.

Matin's father, Abrar, alleges that the hospital staff took his signature on documents without providing details, stating he was not in his senses. According to the family, Matin succumbed to injuries sustained during treatment. The post-mortem report, however, has not been shared with them, leaving them in the dark about the circumstances of his death.

Abrar lodged a complaint at Mawana police station on January 19, accusing the police of a fake encounterHe contends that his family was intimidated by the police, preventing them from meeting Matin in the hospital.

Abrar expressed, "The entire family lived in fear of the police. Despite our attempts to visit Matin in the hospital, we were forcibly removed and left waiting outside." In his formal complaint, Abrar asserted, "My son fell victim to a staged encounter by the police. We were leading a peaceful life, uninvolved in any criminal activities." He lamented the lack of information regarding his son's medical treatment and postmortem report. The hospital staff handed over Matin's lifeless body on the afternoon of January 18, and we conducted his final rites on the same day.

Matin's younger brother, Danish, claims that an examination of Matin's body revealed a gunshot wound to the left side of his stomach, suggesting foul play. The family's complaint against five police officers, including Sub Inspector Atul Kumar, remains unregistered, and they allege not receiving any copy of the First Information Report (FIR) if filed.

While the police provided a General Diary Report (GDR) receipt to the family, that details the complaints received at the police station.

A copy of the GDR receipt, in possession of The Mooknayak, outlines, "A complaint submitted by an individual named Abrar, regarding an incident on January 16, accusing the police of murdering his son through gunfire, has been received at Mawana Police Station. In a previous complaint, Sections 307 (attempted murder), 279 (reckless driving), 427 (causing harm), and 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code have been invoked against the four suspects - Bilal, Abdul Samad, Osama, and Shoaib Ansari. This has been registered as a crime case under number 25/24."

On January 7, the Meerut Police, stationed at the Railway Police Station, filed a First Information Report (FIR) for car theft against an unidentified individual following a complaint lodged by Karan Jain. He reported the theft of his Hyundai Alcazar car from its parking spot outside his residence.

Strikingly, on January 16, the very day when Mateen purportedly fell victim to a 'fabricated encounter' orchestrated by the Mawana police, law enforcement apprehended four individuals—Bilal, Abdul Samad, Osama, and Shoaib Ansari—in connection with the theft of Karan's car. An additional FIR has been initiated against them.

The conflicting details and unanswered questions surrounding Matin's death highlight the need for a thorough and transparent investigation into the controversial police encounter in Uttar Pradesh.

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