CONTROVERSY OVER ‘FAKEENCOUNTER’ON SRINAGAROUTSKIRTS
The recent gunfight in which army, CRPF and police have in a joint operation killed three ‘terrorists' on the outskirts of Srinagar, has turned into a raging controversy as the families and political parties have maintained that they were innocent youth killed in a fake encounter.
PAGD leadership has demanded a time-bound probe and investigation into the allegations by the family members of three youths who were killed in a gunfight at Hokersar on the outskirts of Srinagar a few days back.
The controversy started when the family members of these three slain youth came to Srinagar and protested in front of police headquarters, not only demanding the bodies, but an impartial investigation as they claimed that they were killed in a fake encounter.
Police on Friday came out with another statement about the facts and the circumstances of the case.
Police said, “Lawaypora Srinagar encounter started with army inputs and eventually fructified into a joint operation of Army, CRPF and Police. After the cordon was laid, terrorists lobbed grenades from inside and fired upon the search party. Although as per SOP, terrorists were repeatedly urged by the troops to surrender in the evening and again in the morning. However, instead of surrendering, they fired upon troops and eventually got neutralized in a fire-fight.”
Regarding the allegations of the families, police said, “Insofar as claims of the parents that Aijaz Maqbool Ganai went to the University to fill up the form is concerned, the same was verified and cross-checked through modern techniques including records of the telecom department. Contrary to the claims, the verified digital evidence revealed and corroborated that Aijaz and Ather had gone to Hyderpora and from there to the place of occurrence only. Similarly, Zubair had gone first to Pulwama, then Anantnag, then Shopian to Pulwama and finally came to place of occurrence. Background check also reveals that Aijaz and Ather Mustaq, both OGWS, variously provided logistic support to terrorists. Antecedents and verifications too show that both were radically inclined and had aided terrorists of LET (now so-called TRF) outfit.”
Police further claimed, “One of OGW presently under police custody has also corroborated Aijaz's association with LET terrorist Faisal Mustaq Baba who was killed in a Meej (Pampore) encounter in June last year. Pertinently, Ather was a relative and OGW of HM top commander Rayees Kachroo who got killed in year
2017. Nevertheless, police is investigating into the case from all possible angles”.however, National Conference on Friday said that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha assured an impartial enquiry will be conducted into the Srinagar encounter in which three “terrorists” were killed recently.
In a brief statement, the party said that NC leader and Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi spoke to L-G about the encounter and the claims of the families.
Former chief ministers and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has written to Lieutenant Governor Sinha over the killing of three youth in Srinagar.
Mehbooba in her letter has said, “I am sure you are aware of the unfortunate incident at Parimpora on 30 December. Three boys, the youngest being all of 17 years old, were killed in what the family has alleged to be a staged gunfight. This incident has come close on the heels of an enquiry report that held an Army captain guilty and responsible for a fake encounter at Amshipora in Shopian. Again, the three victims now established as innocent through an investigation were killed and later dubbed as terrorists.”
“I urge you to intervene and ensure that these families get a chance to perform the last rites as per their wishes. Questions are also looming over this encounter and there are conflicting versions and reports from police and the army. Justice can be served only if it's swift and, therefore, I request you to initiate an impartial investigation into the matter immediately.”