3 Rajouri labourers missing from Shopian, kin file report

CPI (M) LEADER TARIGAMI DEMANDS TIME-BOUND JUDICIAL PROBE, RECALLS MACHIL FAKE ENCOUNTER

JAMMU: Suspecting foul play, the family of three labourers from Rajouri district, who remain missing since July 17, on Sunday lodged a missing report.

The three men Imtiyaz Ahmad, 21, of Dhar Sakri in Koteranka, Abrar Ahmad Khan, 18, of Dhar Sakri and Abrar Ahamd, 26, of Tarkassi Tehsil Koteranka in Rajouri had reached Shopian via the Mughal Road on July 2 and July 17 to work as labourers but have remained missing since.

Rajouri district police chief SSP Chandan Kohli confirmed that a missing report had been lodged with the Koteranka police

Ahmad’s uncle Lal Hussain said, “On July 2, my nephew Imtiyaz Ahmad was the first to leave Rajouri for Chowgam in Shopian district and on July 17 the other two, who are also my relatives joined Imtiyaz. On July 17, I talked to them and they told me that they had reached Chowgam. They had taken a room on rent and had brought ration and bedding. There has been no contact since,” he said. Hussain said, “They have only one phone with them, which is switched off. Initially, we thought that they may have been quarantined in Kashmir amid the Covid-19 pandemic and Kashmir usually has connectivity problems but eventually we lodged a written missing persons complaint,” said Hussain.

Meanwhile, CPI (M) leader and former legislator MY Tarigami has demanded a time-bound judicial probe.

‘KILLED IN FAKE ENCOUNTER’

As per media reports the trio went missing just a day before security forces claimed they had killed three unidentified militants in Shopian. “There are unverified reports that the missing labourers have been killed in a fake encounter in Shopian on July 18. This is shocking and must be probed by a sitting high court judge in a time-bound manner,” he added.

“In the past too, there have been unfortunate incidents of civilians being killed in fake encounters for rewards and promotions in Kashmir. The 2010 unrest was the creation of the Machil fake encounter,” he said.

Srinagar-based defence spokesperson of the 15 Corps and 14 Corps colonel Rajesh Kalia said, “We have noted social media inputs linked to the operation at Shopian on July 18. The three terrorists killed have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocols. Army is investigating the matter”.

BUKHARI SEEKS PROBE

JKAP president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “The Lt governor-led government in J&K is expected to order and pursue an impartial investigation that leaves no stone unturned.”