<p>Members of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Saturday demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of a local youth in a contentious Army encounter in Ganderbal district and urged authorities to ensure his family could conduct a decent burial.</p><p>Lawmakers from the ruling National Conference (NC) and its ally Congress united in pressing for accountability and transparency over the incident.</p><p>As the House met, NC chief whip Mubarak Gul described the episode as “unfortunate” and said an innocent young man had lost his life, urging a statement from the Speaker to send a strong message that such incidents would not go without scrutiny.</p>.Probe intensifies into alleged fake encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal.<p>His NC colleague and retired High Court judge Hasnain Masoodi emphasised that a dignified burial was a right and must be respected.</p><p>Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat rejected the ongoing magisterial inquiry as inadequate, insisting only a judicial probe would serve justice.</p><p>The protests in the Assembly come against the backdrop of an Army operation in the Arahama area of Ganderbal on March 31–April 1, in which security forces said they had killed a “terrorist”. The deceased was later identified by police as 29‑year‑old Rashid Ahmad Mughal of Chountwaliwar Lar village.</p><p>The Army has maintained the encounter was part of counter‑terror operations in the area.</p><p>However, Mughal’s family and local residents have rejected the Army’s claim, asserting he had no links to militancy and was a civilian. They say he left home for routine work and did not return, and have questioned aspects of the encounter, including the clothing seen in later images and the circumstances of his death.</p><p>In response to mounting criticism and public concern, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a magisterial inquiry, directing the District Magistrate of Ganderbal to complete a thorough probe within seven days to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the incident.</p><p>The controversy has drawn wider political attention, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti earlier demanding a transparent and time‑bound investigation following the family’s allegations, underscoring calls for clarity and confidence in how security operations are conducted.</p><p>The family has also filed a complaint with police, and the incident continues to fuel debate over alleged “fake encounters” and the need for procedural safeguards in counter‑terror operations.</p>
<p>Members of the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Saturday demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of a local youth in a contentious Army encounter in Ganderbal district and urged authorities to ensure his family could conduct a decent burial.</p><p>Lawmakers from the ruling National Conference (NC) and its ally Congress united in pressing for accountability and transparency over the incident.</p><p>As the House met, NC chief whip Mubarak Gul described the episode as “unfortunate” and said an innocent young man had lost his life, urging a statement from the Speaker to send a strong message that such incidents would not go without scrutiny.</p>.Probe intensifies into alleged fake encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal.<p>His NC colleague and retired High Court judge Hasnain Masoodi emphasised that a dignified burial was a right and must be respected.</p><p>Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat rejected the ongoing magisterial inquiry as inadequate, insisting only a judicial probe would serve justice.</p><p>The protests in the Assembly come against the backdrop of an Army operation in the Arahama area of Ganderbal on March 31–April 1, in which security forces said they had killed a “terrorist”. The deceased was later identified by police as 29‑year‑old Rashid Ahmad Mughal of Chountwaliwar Lar village.</p><p>The Army has maintained the encounter was part of counter‑terror operations in the area.</p><p>However, Mughal’s family and local residents have rejected the Army’s claim, asserting he had no links to militancy and was a civilian. They say he left home for routine work and did not return, and have questioned aspects of the encounter, including the clothing seen in later images and the circumstances of his death.</p><p>In response to mounting criticism and public concern, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a magisterial inquiry, directing the District Magistrate of Ganderbal to complete a thorough probe within seven days to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the incident.</p><p>The controversy has drawn wider political attention, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti earlier demanding a transparent and time‑bound investigation following the family’s allegations, underscoring calls for clarity and confidence in how security operations are conducted.</p><p>The family has also filed a complaint with police, and the incident continues to fuel debate over alleged “fake encounters” and the need for procedural safeguards in counter‑terror operations.</p>