Trio killed in Srinagar were militants, will convince families: J&K police

The police that they will first convince the parents of the slain ‘militants’ about their involvement in militancy.

Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday reiterated that the three youths killed in an encounter by security forces in Hokersar area on the outskirts of Srinagar city on December 30 were militants and they will soon present ‘concrete evidence’ to their families.

“We have collected 60% evidence and in next few days, we will collect more, including the technical evidence, about the involvement of the slain trio in militancy and providing logistic support to militants,” inspector general police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told reporters, here.

Also Read | Hokersar encounter: Pleading their innocence, families demand return of bodies of slain trio

He said that they will first convince the parents of the slain ‘militants’ about their involvement in militancy. Three youths, two aged 22 and one a 17-year-old, from south Kashmir, were killed inside a house by the security forces in Hokersar area on December 30. While police and army claim they were militants, relatives claim they were students.

The Kashmir police chief said that, of late, youth are being lured into militancy as over ground workers (OGWs) “as they are being provided with pistols and grenades.” “Yesterday, we arrested a youth from Anantnag, along with a pistol and grenade who was tasked to kill someone. We are at it and will counter the trend through human tracking and this is our top priority,” he said.

On handing over bodies of slain militants to their families for last rites, Kumar said, “Till Covid-19 pandemic is not over, the bodies can’t be handed over to the families as there is every chance that people will assemble for funerals and break the Covid-19 protocols. The bodies of slain militants are being buried in the presence of their family members.”A