MANGALURU: A public hearing was held here on Tuesday as part of the magisterial enquiry into the killing of two people in police firing during the anti-CAA protests on December 19.

As many as 14 witnesses, including the family members of Abdul Jaleel and Nausheen who were killed in the incident, deposed before Udupi Deputy Commissioner G Jagadeesha and gave their statements at the public hearing held at Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner's Court from 11 am to 1.30 pm.

Speaking to reporters on the occasion, Jagadeesha said written statements were received from witnesses of the incident and those who have information about it on Tuesday. He said people who could not
submit their statements on Tuesday will be given another chance to do so and the dates will be submitted later. However, he said they can give their statements only in a public hearing and in person, not through advocates, post or email.

In the next step of the enquiry, he said notices will be served to the family members of the two deceased and the Mangaluru city police to appear before it and give statements. The police will be
asked to submit documents including FIRs, station diaries, postmortem reports, FSL reports and if necessary CCTV footage of the incident.

To a query, he said the magisterial enquiry will probe the reasons for the deaths of Abdul Jaleel and Nausheen and the circumstances that led to the police firing. The enquiry will be held as per the norms laid down by the Supreme Court and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The magisterial enquiry report will be submitted to the government and NHRC by March 23, 2020.

On January 30, Jagadeesha had visited the Bunder, State Bank and other areas where the lathi-charge and police firing on the protesters took place.