Srinagar: A Major and his team have been
accused of entering a criminal conspiracy to abduct three
youths, who were later killed in an alleged fake encounter, in
a probe report by Jammu and Kashmir Police handed over to the
Army which today ordered a high-level enquiry into the case.
The report was handed over to the 15 Corps Commander Lt
Gen N C Marwah.
The police, in its preliminary probe, has alleged that
Major Opinder and his team members including two subedar
majors and a sepoy allegedly entered into a criminal
conspiracy with locals of Rafiabad including a jawan of
Territorial Army -- Abbas Shah -- and kidnapped three youths
on the pretext of providing them job, official sources said.
They were later killed on April 30 after being
labelled as terrorists.
After receiving the report, Army today ordered a
high-level enquiry into the alleged fake encounter and said
that proceedings will be "judiciously expedited".
"Based on the preliminary report of the Machhil
encounter, received from Jammu and Kashmir Police late evening
on 29 May, a high-level enquiry has been ordered by the Army,"
a defence spokesman said.
He said the enquiry will investigate all allegation,
based on the report submitted by the police and efforts were
on to "recall" the witnesses as their unit had been
de-inducted.
"We will judiciously expedite the proceedings as
promised," spokesman Lt Col J S Brar said.
"The only delay we foresee is the recalling of the
witnesses who are involved in the incident as the unit has
de-inducted after competing its mandated tenure. However,
efforts to get them back have already been initiated", he
said.
Personnel of 4 Rajputana Rifles had said that they
had gunned down the three "militants" while they were
attempting to enter into the Valley from across the border on
April 30.
However, the claim of the army was contested by the
family members of Muhammad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmed and Riyaz
Ahmed who said they were not militants.
The police registered a case of missing on April 27
followed by kidnapping and later arrested four persons
including Abbas. The other three were Qayyum Shah, Basharat
Lone and Abdul Hamid Bhat.
Police will also register a murder case against the
Major and some civilians in connection with the case,
officials said.
The state government has ordered a magisterial enquiry
into the case and also taken up the matter with the Defence
Ministry.
Defence Minister A K Antony had yesterday said that
the army will cooperate in the probe and the guilty will not
be spared.
The bodies of the three men were exhumed on Friday and
identified by the relatives. Authorities handed them over for
last rites after taking DNA samples. The trio were buried in
the local graveyard in Nadihal-Rafiabad, 65 km from here,
yesterday.
PTI
