Srinagar, Jan 1: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has assured an “impartial enquiry” into the “encounter” at Hokersar in outskirts of Srinagar earlier this week.
While police and army claim that three youth killed were militants, their families have contested it, saying that the trio was innocent.
The assurance of holding impartial enquiry was made by the Lieutenant Governor to National Conference Member Parliament and former judge of the J&K High Court Hasnain Massodi who spoke to him last night, according to former chief minister Omar Abdullah.
“MP Anantnag @masoodi_hasnain spoke to J&K LG @manojsinha_ yesterday evening and expressed his anguish over the reports surrounding Wednesday’s encounter around HMT area in Srinagar. Mr. Manoj Sinha assured an impartial enquiry into the matter,” Omar tweeted.
In a statement on Thursday last , Masoodi sought an impartial investigation into the Hokarsar killings and had impressed on the government to clear the ambiguities leading to the killing of three youth.
“The police version is not convincing and clear-cut; it is an admitted case of police that none of the three youth in their early twenties were in the militant list; two of the youth are admitted not to have been involved in militant activities and said to be OGWs. In the case of a third boy who is twenty years old, it is said that he ‘might have joined militant ranks”, he said, adding, “The statement joined together is far from convincing and lends support to the version of families of the slain trio that they were innocent and not involved in any militant activity.” .
He asked the government to recall the Shopian killing and subsequent findings that those killed were innocent and had come all the way from Rajouri to earn livelihoods and continue their studies.
He demanded thorough investigation into the issue and return of bodies of slain youth to their families so that their last rites are observed by their families at their respective places.
Masoodi said the matter warrants time bound inquiry as the versions of the family and the police are contradictory. “The version of the family in wake of the ambiguous version of police seems to be nearer to truth. Therefore it becomes imperative upon the government to come clean on the matter. In previous Shopian killings, the boys were found innocent,” he said.
Masoodi also spoke to Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra Home and demanded a probe into the matter.
