Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 4: After nearly 13 years, police today cracked the killings of seven persons including four Village Defence Committee (VDC) members by a dozen dreaded Hizbul Mujahideen militants including slain HM commanders Billoo Gujjar and Usmaan, which had taken place on November 30, 2011 by arresting three Hizbul militants and one Over Ground Worker (OGW) at village Chakka Galiote under the jurisdiction of Panchairi police station in Udhampur district.
Police had in 2002 closed the case pertaining to the massacre of seven civilians and submitted an `Ikhtami’ (closure report) to the court in 2005 on the ground that no clues could be gathered regarding the killings. However, the police had submitted before the court that whenever any clues were obtained regarding the killings, the case would be re-opened.
Additional SP Udhampur, Benam Tosh, who solved the sensational massacre after 12 years while working on another double murder case of Panchairi, told the Excelsior that the case FIR No. 26/2001 has been re-opened for investigations and a challan would be produced against the accused in the court of law very soon.
Mr Tosh, who worked under the supervision of IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh, DIG Udhampur-Reasi range Jagjit Kumar and SSP Udhampur Ashkoor Wani, told the Excelsior that questioning of three militants and an OGW has revealed that a total of 12 militants and an OGW had executed the killings.
Of 12 militants, eight including one time Hizbul divisional commander Billoo Gujjar and district commander Usmaan, were confirmed killed. While police have arrested three militants, the whereabouts of another ultra Showkat Patwari alias Hussainu were not known. The OGW has also been arrested.
“Most likely, Hussainu has also been killed but police records didn’t show him as slain militant”, police sources said, adding efforts were being made to ascertain his whereabouts. The arrested militants have reportedly disclosed that Hussainu was not spotted to them for more than 10 years now.
Three militants, arrested by police in connection with the massacre, have been identified as Farooq Ahmad (code name Nasir) son of Abdul Rehman Beig R/o Salbala Gool, Ramban, Manzoor Ahmad (code name Furqan) son of Ghulam Mohammad Nayak R/o Dalwa, Gool and Abdul Latif (code name Fayaz) son of Ghulam Nabi Sohil R/o Chhachhwa, Gool. The OGW has been identified as Mohammad Din son of Fazal Din Mir R/o Sedua Tangar, Ramban.
Surprisingly, all three militants had surrendered before police after the massacre. While Abdul Latif had surrendered in 2002, Farooq Ahmad and Manzoor Ahmad had laid down arms in 2005 and 2007 respectively. The court had later bailed all of them out as the then police couldn’t extract clues from them about the massacre.
Sources said Additional SP Udhampur Benam Tosh had been assigned investigations of the killing of double murder of Ashok Khajuria and his wife Parmila Devi in Panchairi in 2008 in which FIR No. 2/2008 had been registered at Panchairi police station. As the case was not being worked out for last about five years, police pursued some clues during which name of one Latif surfaced.
As Abdul Latif had been a surrendered militant, police called him for questioning under Section 54 CrPC as a suspect. Latif was subjected to questioning during which he didn’t confess the double murder but agreed to the killing of seven persons including four VDC members at Chakka Galiote on November 30, 2001.
Police re-opened the case and engaged Latif in sustained interrogation during which he took the lid off entire massacre and named all 13 persons including 12 militants and one OGW involved in the massacre. He also spelt details of the killings. Police followed the clues given by him and arrested two other militants and an OGW.
“All of them have confessed to the killings”, police said, adding that they have been booked in the FIR No. 26/2001 registered at Panchairi police station under Sections 302, 396, 364, 170, 153 and 124 RPC and 3 (11) POTO.
They have identified nine other militants involved in the killings as Amanullah alias Iqbal, then divisional commander, Billoo Gujjar, then divisional commander, Showkat Patwari alias Hussainu, then Group Commander, Nadeem Ahmad, Billal Ahmad, Shahid Latta Peer, Saddar Din, Gazi Ahmad and Kari. While eight of these nine militants involved in the massacre were confirmed dead, the whereabouts of Showkat Patwari alias Hussainu were not known, police said.
The arrested militants have given full details of the execution of massacre to police.
Sources said, all 12 militants and an OGW had proceeded to Chakka Galiote at 4.30 pm on November 30, 2001 in police and Army uniforms. On reaching the village, they called all four VDC members of the area and introduced themselves as security personnel from Sawalakote, who had come to the village for recruitment of security personnel. Three civilians had also accompanied the VDC members.
They asked the VDC members to deposit their arms with them as they had to undergo some tests for recruitment. Later, the militants rained bullets killing all four VDC members and three civilians including two Gujjar youth on spot.
Police today produced all four accused before the Court, which sent them to seven days police custody for questioning. Police haven’t ruled out more arrests in the case.
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