Srinagar, July 9 2011: A non-governmental organization, Youth Empowerment Services of Kashmir (YES-Kashmir), has demanded the reinvestigation of a decade-old encounter in Islamabad district in which three civilians were killed by Indian troops. Stating that the fake encounters were becoming a trend in Kashmir, Youth Empowerment Services of Kashmir (YES-Kashmir), a non-governmental organization today demanded the reinvestigation of a decade-old encounter in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district in which three civilians were killed.
YES, President Tanveer Ahmad while addressing a news conference in Srinagar said, “Fake encounters have been a trend in Kashmir. On March 1, 2011, some innocent Kashmiris were killed near Janglat Mandi, Islamabad by Indian Army and Ikhwanis and later described them as militants. The irony is that a 70-year-old man killed by the Army in the fake gunfight was dubbed as foreign militant Rabbani.”
“We have moved an application before the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, south Kashmir seeking reinvestigation into the fake encounter. We want the truth to prevail. We know the people were reeling under fear when this incident took place. We know they preferred to keep their mouth shut due to fear of reprisal from Army and Indian army sponsored terror group Ikhwanis. Justice must be delivered to the families of the victims now,” he added.
Tanveer said, "The infamous encounter was not the first of its kind in the south Kashmir district. Earlier, he said, some civilians were taken to Shirpora forests by Indian Army and their corroborators ad later killed in fake shootout”. “Again, Army dubbed the innocent civilians as militants. Everyone knows they were civilians,” he said.
Tanveer said he was not aware of the action police has taken after receiving his application for reinvestigation into the case, adding that he said has also sent the copies of the application to the President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister and Army Chief of India.
“The Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah everyday in their speeches claimed that they will take action against any human rights violators, but there is nothing on ground,” he said. Agencies