A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an IPS officer was today set up by the police to carry out a thorough probe into the death of an 11-year-old boy, who was found burnt under mysterious circumstances in a military area at Mehdipatnam here last week.
Shaikh Mustafa, a resident of Siddiqui Nagar, located adjacent to the military area, in his dying declaration recorded before a judicial magistrate, reportedly alleged that "two Army men set him ablaze" on October 8.
The boy succumbed to his injuries the next day with 90 per cent burn injuries, even as the police had filed a murder case against unknown Army personnel.
"In view of the sensitive nature of the case requiring sustained and focused investigation, a SIT is constituted headed by DCP (East Zone) Shahanawaz Qasim to undertake a through investigation and establish the circumstances leading to the incident and the people responsible for the same," Hyderabad Police Commissioner M Mahender Reddy said.
The West Zone police, headed by DCP V Satyanarayana, will continue to be part of the investigation and render all required assistance in detecting the case and bringing the culprits to book at the earliest, he said.
The Army had earlier said none of its personnel was involved in the incident and assured to provide all necessary help and cooperation to the police to carry out a free, fair and transparent investigation to arrive at the truth.
Police had earlier said the boy's family members alleged that military personnel set him afire.
A forensic team, dog squad, CLUES team and Central Crime Station - a wing of Hyderabad Police - are already working on the case.
