DGP J&K Police Dilbagh Singh along with IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar and DIG CKR Sujit Kumar during a press conference regarding Hyderpora encounter in Srinagar
Says, ‘speculative statements of political leaders have tendency of provocation, fear’
Srinagar- The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Police on Wednesday warned politicians for making speculative statements over the probe into the controversial Hyderpora encounter, saying such remarks have tendency to create provocation, rumour, fear and alarm among the general masses or particular section of society.
In a hard hitting statement issued here on Wednesday, the SIT Chairman said that the probe panel came across with several posts on media from some political leaders and family members wherein they have casted doubts upon the evidence obtained by SIT so far.
“These people have tried to call it “Concocted Cover up Story”, “Ornamental Probe”, “Clean Chit to Killers”, “Fairy Tale of Police” etc,” he said.
Four persons were killed in Hyderpora here on November 15 and police claimed that all the slain men had links to militancy. The families of the three had, however, claimed that they were innocent and had alleged foul play, prompting the police to order the inquiry.
The SIT Chairman pointed out that the District Magistrate ordered a magisterial enquiry on November 18 (vide order NO. DMS/JUDINQUIRY/2838/2845/2021) under Section 176 Cr.Pc and accordingly the enquiry officer issued a general notice through the electronic and print media and invited members of the general public to record his/her statement if any such person has any acquaintance or knowledge or proof regarding the incident.
“All such persons making statements should have approached the enquiry officer with genuine evidences they have, for corroboration or contradiction of the facts surfaced in the case,” he said.
Maintaining that investigation in the controversial encounter is still underway, the SIT Chairman said that all such persons are once again advised to provide any type of evidence if they have regarding the incident so that every aspect of investigation is covered and concluded on merits.
“Such speculative statements from the political leaders have tendency to create provocation, rumour, fear and alarm among the general masses or particular section of society. This kind of approach is against the rule of law and may attract appropriate penal provisions as envisaged under law,” he said.
The SIT statement came a day after its head DIG Sujith Kumar Singh addressed a presser here and virtually gave a clean chit to the security forces but added the team was open to reviewing its findings if any other evidence comes to light.
“Our investigation so far has revealed that Dr Mudasir Gul was killed by the foreign terrorist hiding inside the building as his body was recovered from the attic. The security forces did not go to the attic at all during searches or subsequent operation,” he said.
Giving details of the investigations, Singh said the probe has revealed that Amir Magray, the employee of Dr Gul, was closely associated with the foreign militant ‘Bilal Bhai’, who was killed in the operation while trying to flee.
“Mohammad Altaf Bhat (building owner) and Amir were killed in the crossfire with security forces as they were used as a human shield by the foreign terrorist. It is substantiated by the fact the Altaf fell (after being hit by bullets) outside the door, while Amir had managed to run few more steps and the foreign terrorist’s body was found 83 feet away,” he said.
Asked why the civilians were sent in for house searches if the security forces had information about the presence of terrorists inside, the officer had said Bhat had volunteered to go inside as “he was very sure that there was no one hiding inside”.
“At no point of time did any of them tell the security forces about the presence of the terrorist inside or seek any help, ” he added.
The SIT chief said the investigation was still going on and the team was open to reviewing its findings if any evidence, suggesting so, comes to light.
However, hours after his presser, several mainstream politicians, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti alleged that SIT inquiry was to cover-up a botched operation.
“SIT’s clean chit to armed forces in the Hyderpora encounter isn’t surprising. It was purely a charade to cover up a botched up operation & absolve those culpable for killing innocent civilians. How can one expect justice when they themselves are judge, jury & executioner?” she tweeted.
Hours after police gave clean chit to the cops and central forces in the controversial Hydepora encounter, the People’s Alliance on Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Tuesday termed the police briefing a repetition of old story and alleged a concocted cover up story.
PAGD, an amalgam of several mainstream parties, also cast aspersions over the probe by the special police team.
“Today’s press briefing of J&K police about last month’s Hyderpora tragic incident is only a repetition of old story . It does not even, slightly give any objective picture of this shocking incident,” PAGD spokesperson, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said, in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
“There is a strong public perception that the civilians killed in the incident were made human shields by the security forces and the latest statement of the police seems to be a concocted cover up story. It will not suffice the legitimate concerns of the people at large and family of the slain victims,” he said.
“The administration must without any further delay, order a time bound judicial probe,” he added.
Besides the politicians, the families of the killed men also rejected the police findings and maintained their loved ones were innocent and killed in an alleged fake encounter.
Why Rush To Press If Probe Underway?
Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice-President Omar Abdullah Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took pot shots at police for “rushing to the press” with the details if the investigations into the controversial Hyderpora encounter was underway.
“If the SIT is “still investigating the matter” then what was the need to rush to the press with a statement yesterday? I don’t recall reading anywhere that yesterday’s report was an interim one,” tech savvy Omar posted on his Twitter handle.
“As to the “threat of penal action”. Criticising the report, whether interim or final is the right of any citizen & it does not behove J&K police to be trying to threaten people in to submission. If the SIT wants people to believe the report it should report the truth, period,” he wrote in another Tweet.
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