Families of Malegaon blasts accused demand fair probe

Mumbai: Family members of Sandeep Dange and Ramchandra Kalsangra, the two absconding alleged bomb planters involved in the September 2008 Malegaon blasts case, have demanded a fair probe into claims that the duo was picked up by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and then bumped off in an encounter. In August, Mehmood Mujawar, a former inspector of the Mumbai ATS, told a court in Solapur that the two absconding accused were allegedly bumped off in an encounter and their bodies were passed off as unidentified victims of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks perpetrated by a 10-man LeT squad that came from Pakistan.

After Mujawar’s claims, which recently came to light, the duo’s families have sought help from authorities to get justice. Lakshmibai, wife of Kalsangra, was in depression after she heard about Mujawar’s claim, according to her son Devavrat. Devavrat told The Asian Age, “Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis should order a thorough investigation into Mujawar’s  revelations. We are already in pain after we came to know that he is absconding. For the past ten years we didn’t see him and suddenly the news came that he might have died.”

Devavrat said, “The officials have fabricated evidence against him. They terrorised us too. They have already violated our basic right to know the whereabouts of our family member. We will keep on fighting hard till we get proper answers from the government and the investigative agency.” Ram Swarup Patidar, the brother of the missing Dilip Patidar, who was under the ATS scanner in the blast case and was alleged to have been bumped off earlier, said, “The same might have happened with my brother because we haven’t seen him for several years and officials are unable to explain where he might be.” He added, “We are living a hellish life as we can’t even asked for the details of our kin.” He said, “Last year, we personally went to meet the CM, but still no clarification came from the government as to my brother’s whereabouts.”