Thursday, May 27, 2010

Three youth killed in fake encounter by Army in Baramulla

Courtesy: Daily Kashmir Times dated May 28th, 2010 by SHABIR IBN YUSUF
SRINAGAR, May 27: Army has allegedly killed three boys of Nadihal Baramulla in fake encounter at LoC in Machil sector of Kupwara on April 30. Police has arrested two government gunmen but army has denied to comment on the incident.
Three boys identified as Shazad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone of Nadihal Baramulla went missing from their homes on April 27. The family members of the trio searched for them but were unable to trace them. They approached police and police registered a missing report on May 10 in the police station Panzala.
The residents of Nadihal held protest demonstrations and SP Sopore Altaf Khan assured them fast and fair investigation into the case of missing of three boys and the residents called off their protests.
Police sources said the family members of the missing youth in their statement to police said Bashir Ahmad Lone a government gunman turned SPO, now working for army, is involved in the disappearance of three boys. Sources added that police interrogated Bashir and he identified the dreaded government gunman Fayaz Ikhwani alias Gazi of Tujjar Sharief Sopore.
Police sources said that the government gunmen confessed that on April 26 they gave Rs 5,000 each to three boys and asked them to come next day for more money. Sources added when the trio approached the government gunmen Bashir and Fayaz the next day, the latter took them along and since then they are missing. Police sources said that the call record of Fayaz Ikhwani confirms that he was in Thayen area of Kalroos when the trio was killed in Machil and the bodies were brought to Kalroos.
SP Sopore Altaf Khan said that they are investigating the matter and have registered a case in this regard. He, however, said they have picked up some people for questioning. He said divulging any details at this juncture will hamper the investigations. “We have registered a case and have brought some people for questioning,” said SP Sopore. “It is immature to conclude whether they are involved in it or not. It will get confirmed after the investigations are complete,” Altaf Khan added.
It is pertinent to mention that Machil encounter in which army claimed that they killed three militants but recovered five AK 47 rifles. Sources in the police, however, maintained that there was possibility of this being a “fake” encounter. The three missing boys, it is believed, may have been handed over by the two Ikhwanis to the army who killed them in what came to be publicized as Machil encounter about a month ago.
On April 30 Srinagar based PRO defence in a statement said that the “ troopers on noticing some movement on the LoC in the wee hours today challenged some militants and asked them to surrender but they opened fire and in the retaliatory action three militants were killed. The operation was still on,” the statement said.
The statement added that three AK 47 rifles were recovered, besides other ammunition. “On checking their belongings, two more AK rifles and a pistol were recovered besides other items. Their identity is yet to be ascertained. Probably they tried to use the bad weather conditions to sneak in. But alert troops foiled the attempt,” read the statement on that day.
PRO defence in Srinagar however denied commenting on the matter. “No comments,” he said.

No comments:

Post a Comment