Srinagar: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was constituted by Police to probe July 18 Amshipora, Shopian fake encounter on Saturday produced challan against three persons including an Army captain who were involved in the case, on Saturday.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Wajahat Hussian who was heading the probe committee told local news agency Kashmir News Observer, that challan of 300 pages against three persons involved in the case was produced before Principal and Sessions Judge Shopian.
He identified the trio as Capitan Bupinder of 62 RR, Tabish Ahmad, a resident of Shopian and Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Pulwama.
Pertinently, the Army on Thursday said that the process of summary of evidence has been completed with regard to the July 18 Amshipora, Shopian fake encounter in which three labourers were killed and that the concerned authorities along with legal advisors are examining the same for further proceedings.
“The process of recording the summary of evidence has been completed. The same is being examined by the concerned authorities in consultation with legal advisors for proceeding further.” they said.
They said that the army is committed to the ethical conduct of operations. “Further details will be shared in a manner so as not to prejudice the proceedings under army law,” he said.
It was reported on Thursday that Army has completed the Summary of Evidence against two of its soldiers involved in fake encounter and a possible court martial could take place after completion of formalities.
Back in August, The Kashmir Monitor was the first to break the news of three labourers from Rajouri going missing and being found dead in Shopian in the same area of Amshipora where Army had claimed killing three militants on July 18.
Abrar Ahmad Khan (17) son of Bagga Khan, his brother-in-law Abrar Ahmad (25) son of Mohammad Yusuf, and their relative 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 two 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.
Their identities were subsequently confirmed through a DNA test. The bodies were handed over to their families in Baramulla in October.
On Thursday, General Officer in Command of the strategically located XV Corps Lt Gen B S Raju said the Summary of Evidence has been completed but refused to give away any details of the outcome.
“Yes, the Summary of Evidence has been completed and the army will take next course of action as per the law,” Lt Raju told news agency PTI.
The army had ordered a Court of Inquiry earlier this year after reports appeared on social media that the three youths, labelled as militants, had been killed by its personnel.
The Court of Inquiry, which completed its probe earlier in September, had found “prima facie” evidence that troops had “exceeded” powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) during the July 18 encounter in which three men were killed. Following this, the army had initiated disciplinary proceedings.
Quoting officials in know of the development, PTI reported that the two army personnel may face court martial proceedings for violating the powers vested under the AFSPA, 1990 and not following the Do’s and Don’ts of Chief of Army Staff as approved by the Supreme Court.
“The officials said the accused personnel may face serious charges under the law,” the news agency reported.
They also said the role of the three civilians as well as the person who had allegedly led the army to the youths in Amshipura in Shopian needs to be thoroughly examined by the police. (With inputs from KNO)
