Chennai, Oct 22 (IANS): The National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations (NCHRO) in Tamil Nadu has demanded a CB-CID inquiry into the gunning down of Murtaza Sheikh from Jharkhand by the Kancheepuram police at Sriperumbadur on October 11.

Murtaza and his accomplice Naeem were accused of snatching a chain from a woman in Pennalur village on October 10. The police later found that the two were hiding in Sriperumbadur, and on October 11, when the Kancheepuram police team zeroed on the duo, they found a gun in the possession of Murtaza who tried to attack the police. The police opened fire and killed Murtaza on the spot. Naeem was caught and has been remanded to judicial custody.

The fact-finding team of NCHRO led by rights activist A. Marx has now given a report to the police and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

The team has reported that there was a strong police team comprising around 300 men and that Murtaza could have been easily overpowered. They also contended the theory of the police that the accused had a gun.

However, senior police officers from the Kancheepuram police station have stuck to their position that Murtaza was in possession of the gun which had three live cartridges in it.

Marx told IANS, "We have visited the village where Murtaza stayed and the place where the chain snatching had taken place as also the place where he was gunned down. We have spoken to senior police officers on the issue. Our fact-finding team comprised nine people, including human rights activists."

Senior police officers, however, said that Murtaza was involved in several other criminal activities and the police had to fire at him as he was in possession of a gun, which they later found to be loaded with live bullets. The police claimed that Murtaza and Naeem had even opened fired on the people who had chased them after the chain-snatching incident.

The police also suspect the duo to be behind the murder of a Tasmac liquor shop employee in Kancheepuram, besides grievously injuring another staff.