Hyderabad, April 11 (IANS): The family of one of the five undertrial prisoners, who were gunned down by police in Telangana, has lodged a complaint against the policemen involved in the "fake" encounter.

Mohammed Ahmed, father of Viquar Ahmed, lodged a complaint at Aler police station in Nalgonda district on Saturday, alleging that the police murdered his son and four others while bringing them to Hyderabad from Warangal Central Jail.

Ahmed told reporters, after submitting his complaint, that the undertrials were killed in "cold blood". He demanded that homicide charges be framed against the 17 policemen who were escorting them.

Viquar and four others were shot dead by police near Aler on April 6. Police claimed that they had to open fire as the undertrials tried to snatch their weapons and escape.

Human rights groups termed the encounter as "fake" and alleged that the murders were committed to exact revenge for the killing of four policemen by terror operatives in Nalgonda district last week.

They said the undertrials were handcuffed and chained to their seats in the police vehicle, and were in no position to snatch weapons from police.

Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) and other Muslim groups have demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a sitting judge of the high court.

MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday met Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, seeking the probe.