Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: The bodies of three youth from Rajouri who were killed in a fake encounter in Amshipora village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district in July were exhumed today and handed over to their families.
The bodies Abrar Ahmad, 25, Imtiyaz Ahmad, 20, and Mohammad Ibrar, 16 were exhumed in presence of senior police officers and a Magistrate and were handed over to the families.
The exhumation and subsequent handing over of the bodies came few days after Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said that investigations into the Shopian encounter has entered into final stage and exhumation process will be initiated soon.
Earlier on September 30, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, had said that since the DNA samples matched with the families, the bodies will be exhumed and handed over to families after the due process of law.
These three youth were killed by Army in an alleged fake encounter at Amshipora village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on July 18 this year.
The families of the youth claimed that those killed in Amshipora were not militants but their wards, who were labourers and had gone to Shopian.
Army admitted that during Shopian encounter powers vested under AFSPA were exceeded. “Certain prima facie evidence indicating that the powers vested under the AFSPA 1990 were exceeded during the operation”, Army said after concluding the investigation.
Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia had said that inquiry has found that the “Do’s and Don’ts of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as approved by the Supreme Court have been contravened”.
“Consequently, the competent disciplinary authority has directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable,” he had said.
Meanwhile, families of the trio hoped that investigation process will continue and the justice is incomplete till the perpetrators of the crime will be awarded stern punishment.
“We have faith in the investigation process carried out by authorities. We have lost our family member. The wounds inflicted on us are unforgettable. We hope those who perpetrated the crime will be given stern and exemplary punishment”, family of Ibrar said.
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