Hyderpora civilian killings: Building owner used as human shield by militant, says SIT probe

The probe by a special investigation team (SIT) of Jammu and Kashmir police into a controversial encounter in Hyderpora area of Srinagar on November 15 that killed four persons has revealed that the building owner was used as a human shield by a foreign militant.

The police had said that on the evening of November 15, four persons were killed, including a foreign militant – Bilal Bhai, in a joint operation by the police, Army and CRPF. Other than the civilian Altaf Bhat, the police described Dr Mudasir Gul, a dentist, and Muhammad Amir Magarey as ‘militant associate’ and ‘hybrid’ militant.

After protests by the families saying that three of the four killed were civilians and public outcry, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a magisterial inquiry, by additional district magistrate rank, into the incident on November 18. The police had also formed a SIT to probe the incident.

Read more: Hyderpora civilian killings: 'All is not well' in Kashmir

“The SIT constituted for the Hyderpora operation established a few things – 2 pistols, 4 magazines, etc., were seized from the initial site. During site inspection, 2 bodies of a local terrorist and building owner were recovered at the building’s entry,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Sujit K Singh, told reporters, here.

Singh, who was the head of the SIT, said CCTV footage and other evidence show that Amir Magray had accompanied Bilal Bhai during Jamalata Srinagar attack. “Amir would often travel to Bandipora and Gurez, an angle which is still under investigation,” he said. “The CCTV footage and other evidence show that building owner Altaf Bhat was used as a human shield by the foreign militant Bilal Bhai, who was living in Gul’s chamber along with Magray.”

“Prima-facie evidence shows that Mudasir Gul was shot dead by the foreign militant (Bilal) on the directions possibly from across (border),” the SIT chief said.

“The investigations reveal that building owner Bhat was made human shield by foreign militant and that he was killed in a crossfire,” the DIG, who was flanked by Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh and IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, said.

He said that the family of the killed building owner hasn’t given them proper responses as to who was living on the rent, what was their rent payment system, rent deed etc. “There are no satisfactory details from Altaf’s family,” he said.

Meanwhile, J&K Home department on Tuesday said it has received an inquiry report into the Hyderpora encounter and the same has been sent to the concerned judicial magistrate for approval before it can be made public.

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