Army to try six men for fake killings

Army has ordered court martial of six soldiers, including two officers, who were involved in the killing of three civilians in a fake encounter at Line of Control (LoC) in Machil sector of north Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara in 2010.

Col D K Pathania, the Commanding Officer of 4 Rajput Regiment, the unit involved in the fake encounter, Major Upinder, Subedar Satbir, Hawaldar Bir Singh, Sepoys Chandra Bhan, Nagendra Singh and Abbas Hussain Shah will face the court martial. An official spokesperson of the Northern Command said the order will highlight the Army’s resolve to ensure justice.

The action comes after more than three years of detailed and exhaustive enquiry conducted by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police with the assistance of judicial department to summon witnesses, record evidence and establish culpability of the accused personnel.

Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone, residents of Nadihal in Baramulla district, were killed in the fake encounter by the accused soldiers and passed off as infiltrating militants to get promotions and awards, on April 30, 2010.

The killings had triggered agitation in the Kashmir valley, which claimed more than 100 lives in street protests during the summer of 2010.

Sources told Deccan Herald that the court martial was ordered last week after the court of inquiry submitted its final report. “The action was ordered after court of inquiry covered all the allegations based on the police report. The court of inquiry was headed by the then commander of 68 Mountain Brigade, Brigadier G S Sangah, now a Major General,” they said.

“The investigators have ascertained the role of the accused. The accused would be given exemplary punishment. They will most probably lose their jobs and other perks. They can be jailed also,” sources said, adding that things will get clear soon after the completion of court martial.
“It will take little time for completion of court martial of these soldiers,” they added.
DH News Service