Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
Srinagar: The Supreme Court has asked the petitioner seeking a probe into the disappearance of three Rajouri labourers and the controversial Amshipora encounter, to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for any relief.
Sandeep Mawa, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Reconciliation Front had moved the apex court demanding a probe into the mysterious disappearances of three Rajouri labourers and the killing of three suspected militants in the encounter at Amshipora on July 18.
Abrar Ahmad Khan (17) son of Bagga Khan, his relative Abrar Ahmad (25) son of Mohammad Yusuf, and Imtiyaz Ahmad (20) son of Sabr Hussain, all residents of Peeri, Kotranka in Rajouri district, disappeared after they left home on July 16 to work as daily-wage labourers in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Over three weeks later, the families of the trio were shocked to see the purported picture of three alleged militants killed in an encounter at Amshipora village in the Shopian district on July 18.
The bodies bore a stark resemblance to two of the missing labourers – the teenage Abrar and the older Abrar. A third body in the picture is placed facedown with clothes pulled up over his head. Bullet marks can be seen on the back of the third body.
The family thought that the trio had been quarantined by the authorities since they travelled from a Jammu division to Kashmir, and as such didn’t report them missing even after not being able to reach them.
“We are approaching the high court tomorrow,” Mawa told The Kashmir Monitor.
Mawa had prayed for directing the SSP Shopian to register FIR for an investigation into the matter in terms of law and as per the guidelines formulated under Article 141.
“The investigation of the case may be entrusted to a Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituting of members other than from J&K Police, monitored by this Court. Respondent No. 1 (Union of India, through secretary ministry of home) may be directed to constitute a High Powered Committee to analyse the aspect of criminalizing Custodial Killings and Fake Encounters by way of special legislation,” the petitioner said.
Maw also sought a direction to constitute the State Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Courts in terms of Section 21 and 31 respectively in the territory of J&K.
“Respondent no. 1 may be directed to pay a compensation of Rs. 1 crore each to the family of the victims. And Pass such other or further orders as this Court may deem fit and proper in the interests of justice,” he said.
