J&K L-G visits families of labourers killed in Shopian, assures ‘justice at all costs’

Manoj Sinha with the family members in Rajouri. (Express Photo)

In a visible outreach effort, Jammu & Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha walked over half-a-kilometre across mountainous terrain to meet the family members of the three Rajouri labourers who were killed in a fake encounter by the Army in Shopian on July 18 this year.

“Rest assured, you will get justice at all costs,” the Lt Governor told the grieving families who had gathered at Tarkasi village in Rajouri district, at the house of Mohammad Yusuf, whose son Abrar Ahmed, 25, was among the three youth killed in Shopian.

When Yusuf asked that the guilty be punished, the L-G said, “The Modi government is known for ensuring justice. Let the inquiry be completed, strict action will be taken against the guilty.”

Sinha, who reached Yusuf’s home around 5.30 pm, also assured them that a member from each of the three families would be given government jobs, besides cash assistance.

On July 18, the J&K Police announced the killing of “three unidentified terrorists” in an “encounter” in Amshipora village of Shopian.

Two months later — after three families from Rajouri came forward to identify the dead as cousins who had gone to Kashmir for work — on September 18, the Army admitted that the three killed in the Shopian ‘encounter’ were missing labourers from Rajouri. On September 21, a DNA test further confirmed the identities of the Rajouri labourers.

Following this, the Jammu and Kashmir Police exhumed the bodies of all the three labourers and handed them over to their families.

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