Civilian or militant? Ganderbal killing triggers probe demand, political scrutiny

Srinagar: The killing of a 29-year-old man during an Army operation in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district has triggered controversy, with his family contesting the official claim that he was a militant and political leaders calling for a transparent probe.

Security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation in Ahrama area on the night of March 31 following “specific inputs about militant presence.” The Army said one “terrorist” was killed in the operation after intermittent firing and that a weapon was recovered from the site.

The deceased has been identified as Rashid Ahmad Mughal. His family, however, has disputed the claim.

His brother, Ajaz Ahmad Mughal, said Rashid had left home a day earlier and did not return. “He was not a militant. He was a civilian. He had completed his M.Com and was working as a computer operator,” he said, adding that the family was later called by police to identify the body.

Police officials have maintained that the case is under investigation. The Station House Officer (SHO) Ganderbal said the deceased’s antecedents are being verified.

“We are ascertaining the facts. It is too early to say anything conclusively,” the officer said, while confirming that a weapon had been recovered during the operation. Officials have also indicated that one of Rashid’s brothers is currently in Pakistan, a detail that is part of the ongoing background verification.

The incident has drawn political reactions across the spectrum. People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said people were alleging that the encounter could be “fake” and called for an impartial probe.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has now also sought a transparent inquiry into the incident, urging that the facts be established clearly and the process remain credible and accountable.

Disputed encounter killings have surfaced periodically in Jammu and Kashmir, often leading to investigations. The 2020 Shopian encounter case, in which three civilians from Rajouri were killed and later identified as non-militants, resulted in a police probe.

Earlier, the Machil fake encounter case in 2010 had also led to legal action against Army personnel.

Officials have in recent years highlighted a decline in local militant recruitment, with security agencies indicating that active local militants are now in double digits and fresh recruitment has remained almost nil over the past year. At the same time, anti-militancy operations continue based on intelligence inputs.

Authorities said verification of the deceased’s background in the Ganderbal case is ongoing, and further details are expected after the investigation is completed.