Srinagar, June 17: Expressing full faith in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, legislative assembly members cutting across the party lines today demanded a thorough inquiry to unearth the alleged nexus between militants and police officers. Initiating a special debate in the house after question hour on the involvement of some police personnel in the killing of former minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, National Conference (NC) member Sharifuddin Shariq lauded the police for unearthing the nexus between terrorists and some ''black sheep'' in the police force.

He demanded a CBI inquiry into Lone's killing and said the guilty would be punished irrespective of which party they belonged to. Expressing disappointment on Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig's remark that the finger of suspicion in Lone's killing pointed to the involvement of NC leaders, Shariq said the vital issue of security should be discussed without trying to gain political mileage.

Claiming that the murder of Lone and his brother Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone was a deep-rooted conspiracy against the NC, he alleged that the person involved in Lone's killing was the relative a leader who recently joined the PDP. The person had also contested assembly election unsuccessfully against Lone as a joint candidate of all parties.

Communist Party of India (M) member Mohammad Yousuf Targami said there were some black sheep in all forces and their activities had to be kept under check. ''We heard announcement of several inquiry committees in the past without any result, but I congratulate this government and the police chief for bringing out the truth.''

Lauding the police for unearthing the nexus between militants and security forces, People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said this was not the end of the road and there was a long way to go.

Bureau Report