Media reports say Mexican police were involved in January killings

MEXICO CITY, (Reuters) – Three media outlets said yesterday that Mexican federal police killed 16 unarmed people in two separate attacks in January, appearing to contradict an account by the federal government that the deaths could have been caused by friendly fire.

Aristegui Noticias, Univision and Proceso published similar accounts of the deaths in Apatzingan in the restive western state of Michoacan. They were the latest reports to allege abuses by security forces in the country.

There was an international outcry over the September disappearance of 43 students who the government said were abducted by local police in league with a drug gang. The case has dragged down President Enrique Pena Nieto’s approval ratings. The reports on Sunday detailed the deaths of 16 people during attacks by police on Jan. 6 in Apatzingan.

The federal police had no comment on the reports.