Dal Khalsa terms closure of Pathribal case travesty of justice

Amritsar: Radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa took exception over the closure of the Parthribal fake encounter case terming it a travesty of justice.

Party head HS Dhami said the impunity enjoyed by the Army has taken a toll on justice, and slammed the Indian political leadership for allowing the Army to "have a field day" in Kashmir and other parts of the country. The Army yesterday closed the Pathribal fake encounter case saying the evidence recorded could not establish prime facie charges against its accused personnel. Army had claimed that those killed in Pathribal were mercenaries responsible for the gunning down of 35 members of the Sikh community at Chittisinghpora on March 21, 2000?when the then US President Bill Clinton was on a visit to India. CBI had in 2006 indicted five army personnel for staging the encounter while giving a clean chit to state police. Dhami slammed the security establishment for opposing the withdrawal of AFSPA from Kashmir and north-eastern states. He said the CBI probe has categorically blamed the Army officials for staging the fake encounter to show their "competency". The organisation sought the international community`s influence to deliver justice to the victims` families.