Hyderpora ‘encounter’: ADC Srinagar appointed IO, asked to submit report in 15 days
Srinagar: Hours after announcement of a magisterial enquiry by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in the Hyderpora encounter, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Thursday appointed ADC Srinagar Khurshid Ahmad Shah as an inquiry officer to probe the details about the shootout. He has been directed to submit a report within 15 days.
“Whereas, an encounter took place at Hyderpora National Highway near Classic Hospital, Srinagar in the intervening night of 15-11-2021 and 16-11-2021,” reads an order by the Deputy Commissioner.
He said a case (FIR vide No. 193/2021) on November 16 has been registered in Police Station Hyderpora, Srinagar “which discloses death of four persons including (militants) in the encounter, and is under investigation by an SIT.”
“It has been felt expedient to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the matter-so as to ascertain the facts and circumstances related to the incident and the cause of death,” the order, reads, adding, “In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 176 of CrPC,
Khurshid Ahmad Shah (KAS) Additional District Magistrate, Srinagar is appointed inquiry officer to to conduct a magisterial inquiry in the above mentioned incident.”
The Inquiry Offfce has been asked to submit his report within a period of 15 days.
Meanwhile, the ADC Srinagar has issued a general notice, asking general public/ person in knowledge of the incident and is willing to record his/ her statement or wants to give any other information about the incident, to attend his office in the office complex of Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar Amar Niwas Complex, Tankipora, Srinagar for recording the statements within 10 days from the date from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM during working days, so that the enquiry in the case is completed.
Meanwhile, the kin of Mohammad Altaf Bhat (building owner), Mudasir Gul (tenant) and Amir Magray (Gul’s office boy) have been protesting against the killings.
The relatives of Bhat and Gul were camping at Press Colony since Wednesday morning, to press for return of the bodies which were buried in the dead of night of Monday at Handwara in North Kashmir.
The day began with viral videos doing rounds which showed police removing families of two civilians from the protest site at Residency Road around midnight.
The families were taken for a meeting with senior officials at police control room Kashmir in which they reiterated their demand for return of the bodies.
Bhat’s family welcomed the probe ordered by the administration but appealed to the Lt Governor to return his body so that his kids can see him for one last time.
Omar, who is the vice president of the National Conference, moved near the residence of chief justice of Jammu and Kashmir high court and staged a non-violent sit-in along with party leaders to demand for the return of bodies of the civilians killed in the Hyderpora encounter.
“We are sitting here peacefully. If we wanted we would have blocked roads, bridges, but no. There has been no sloganeering, no law and order disturbance and no road has been blocked.
“We are not raising voice against the government, we just demand that bodies be returned,” Omar told reporters at the Municipal Park here.
He said despite the fact that the police admitted that the civilian was killed in crossfire, his body was not given to the family, but buried in Handwara.
The Peoples Conference and High Court Bar Association also held a protest against the killings. (with inputs from GNS, PTI)
