Shopian encounter: Army finds 'prima facie' evidence against troops, initiates proceedings under Army Act

SRINAGAR: The Army on Friday admitted there was prima facie evidence of overreach under the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) by its troops in an alleged fake encounter in south Kashmir’s Shopian district two months ago that left three persons dead. Those involved in the July 18 operations at Amshipora village of Shopian will soon face disciplinary action under the Army Act.

While the slain persons were labelled as unidentified militants at that time, their families had challenged the spin, saying they were actually innocent labourers hailing from Rajouri. Defence spokesman in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia said a high-level Court of Inquiry that probed the incident also found that the troops had violated the guidelines issued by the Army chief and the Supreme Court on handling encounters.

On July 18, the Army and the police claimed to have killed three unidentified militants in a joint operation at Amshipora. The police had said the operation was launched on specific intelligence input shared by the Army’s 62 Rashtriya Rifles, adding arms and ammunition and other incriminating materials were recovered from the site of encounter. The bodies were buried at a graveyard in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. 

Three persons killed in Shopian encounter on July 18 were labourers from Rajouri, army has confirmed, says probe found powers were exceeded during encounter, disciplinary proceedings to be initiated under Army Act @TheMornStandard @NewIndianXpress

— Khogen Singh (@khogensingh1) September 18, 2020

However, in first week of August, three families from the border district of Rajouri said their wards — Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ibrar — who were working as labourers in Shopian and living in rented accommodation there, had been missing since July 17. They identified the photos of the slain trio on social media as their wards.

The families then registered a missing report with the Rajouri police on August 9. Subsequently, a police team took their DNA samples to match them with those of the slain trio. While the DNA report is awaited, evidence collected by the Court of Inquiry prima facie indicated that the slain persons were indeed Imtiyaz Ahmed, Ibrar Ahmed and Mohammad Ibrar, the defence spokesman said.

“Their involvement with militancy or related activities is under police investigation,” he added. Sources said a Summary of Evidence will now be initiated against the erring Armymen after which court martial proceedings would start. The Army and the police had launched separate inquiries into the encounter.

‘Disciplinary action must be transparent’
“The families of the three murdered men had continued to proclaim their innocence. Disciplinary action initiated by the army would suggest the army agrees with the families. The process must remain transparent,” NC president Omar Abdullah said