No post-mortem report, mother gets Israt’s body

Israt, alleged to be a Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist, was shot dead along with three others by Gujarat police for allegedly conspiring to kill Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Israt’s mother, Shamima, a resident of Mumbra, in Mumbai arrived in Ahmedabad along with five others from Mumbai. She was not accompanied by her family members.

Interrogated by Crime Branch officials for over three hours, she was then taken to Civil Hospital to acquire her daughter’s body. Shamima continued to insist that her daughter was not involved in any terrorist activity, and reiterated her demand for a CBI inquiry.

‘‘I insist that my daughter had nothing to do with terrorists, as alleged by the Gujarat Crime Branch,’’ she told the media. She also said that though she had been handed over the body, the post-mortem report had not been given to her. Stating that the Crime Branch had asked her not to talk to the media, Shamima said they questioned her about Israt’s background, academic career, friends and other activities.

When asked whether she knew Israt’s whereabouts after she left home, Shamima said: ‘‘She was going for an interview for a job, she told me she would return soon.’’

Denying the intelligence claims in Mumbai that her daughter had been under surveillance of policemen on eight other occasions, she ruled out any relation between Israt and Pune-based Javed, also killed in the shootout.

‘‘I don’t know who is Javed and why is my daughter being linked to him,’’ she said. Jamait-e-Ulma member Abdur Rauf Lala, who claimed he is heading a fact-finding committee that comprises several political parties and NGOs of Mumbra area, accompanied Shamima in an ambulance to the city.

‘‘Israt had no role in any anti-national activity, she was a bright girl, our fact-finding committee will probe the matter, we are demanding a CBI probe too,’’ he said.

Advocate Shakeeb Khan, who is also a Samajwadi Party leader, said he would file a case once fact-finding committee is through with its probe. Shamima left for Mumbai with the body in the evening. Final rites will be performed in Mumbra on Saturday. Meanwhile, residents of Mumbra area have called for a day-long bandh that day to protest against the shootout.