Amid a nationwide outcry over the fake encounters in Gujarat, the Madhya Pradesh police has quietly provided armed security to Rubabuddin Shaikh in Jhirnya village of Ujjain district. It was Rubabuddin’s petition in the Supreme Court that led to the arrest of three IPS officers.

At least a dozen members of the Shaikh family, including three brothers of the petitioner and their parents, reside in the sprawling house.

A head constable and four constables of the Special Armed Force have been posted near the family home since Friday, weeks after Rubabuddin moved the apex court seeking justice in the fake encounter case.

The family had at first refused to accept any security saying they did not have faith in the very police against whom they were fighting a court battle. Instead, the family had sought gun licenses for each of the four brothers saying they perceived a threat to their lives after the case.

“They still don’t have faith in the police but we have provided security to the family following Supreme Court orders,” Ujjain SP Jaideep Kumar told The Sunday Express. “Though we don’t perceive any threat at the moment, the security will remain,” he said.

Strangely, the SAF men have not contacted the family even after spending nearly two days in the village. They have lodged themselves in the local panchayat building waiting for further orders from their seniors.