Srinagar, May 01 (KMS): The Supreme Court (SC) of India has expressed concern over the killing of innocent people in fake encounters in occupied Kashmir.

The concern was expressed during the hearing of an appeal filed by Swami Shraddananda, who was held guilty of murdering his wife Begum Shakereh Namazi, who belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Mysore.

Justice Aftab Alam of the Supreme Court had observed, “Just for getting a gallantry award, innocent people are termed as mujahideen and killed.” 

Justice Alam’s observations reported by an Indian daily ‘The Hindu’ were also endorsed by Justice GS Singhvi who had said, “Fake encounter killings are being done by police in order to get awards and promotions. The whole thing is devilishly planned.”

Terming the Supreme Courts’ concern as a good sign, the President of High Court Bar Association (HCBA), Nazir Ahmad Ronga said, “We have been complaining for past many years that thousands of innocent Kashmiris have been subjected to custodial disappearance and many killed in fake encounters by Indian troops, but hardly anybody took notice of it.  Now the Supreme Court has expressed concern on the issue, it can help us.”

Nazir Ahmed Ronga further said, “The observations are a good sign for us and will help to seek the whereabouts of innocent Kashmiris,” adding, the Bar would go through the SC’s observations and try to derive maximum benefit out of it to plead the cases of disappearances and fake encounters.

The Bar President pointed out that many inquiries and probes ordered by the occupied Kashmir High Court and district courts found many people either subjected to custodial disappearance or killed in fake encounters by troops and police. “But till date nobody has been punished,” Ronga said, adding, “The observations made by the Supreme Court can have an impact on many cases under trial.”