Judicial inquiry into Hyderpora fake encounter demanded
New Delhi, November 25 (KMS): Indian civil society group ‘Janhastakshep’ has demanded a high-level inquiry into the killing of four Kashmiri civilians in a fake encounter in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, last week, by a sitting judge of the High Court of the territory.
“Hyderpora encounter has once again exposed the chicanery and deceit of the Modi-led RSS-BJP government for whom the utility of Kashmir lies only in as much as it is a convenient ploy to keep the communal embers burning in the rest of the country for reaping electoral dividends,” said Dr Vikas Bajpai, Co-convener Janhastakshe.
The police version of the Hyderpora encounter is replete with contradictions and lies, even as it has been claimed in the eyewitness accounts, as also by the pro-Delhi Kashmiri politicians that the civilians killed in the encounter were used as a human shield by the forces, he added.
He said, these are familiar tactics of the Indian forces in the valley. One is reminded of the Machil fake encounter of 29 April 2010 involving officers and jawans of 4 Rashtriya Rifles, as also the Pathribal fake encounter, following the massacre of 35 Sikhs on 20 March 2000 at Chattisinghpura village of Islamabad district allegedly by militants, a story which has since been refuted by senior army officers themselves, observed Dr Bajpai.
The alleged encounter that took place at Hyderpora locality of Srinagar on 15 November 2021 ought to be taken as another atrocity in line with a series of atrocities heaped on people of Kashmir valley, he said.
“In times when we are witness to all-round attacks on the democratic rights of the people, it becomes imperative for all democratic sections of the society to raise their voice for demanding justice for the families of those killed in this encounter and the oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir. Doing so is a necessary condition for protecting our own rights,” he added.
While condemning the highhandedness of the Indian forces, Janhastakshep demands a high-level inquiry into the incident by a sitting judge no lower than of High Court, he said. All personnel involved in the encounter, including the Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar, should be placed under suspension to ensure non-interference in circumstances of the case, he maintained.
