20000413

IHK Court orders

case registration

for killing five

in fake encounter

ISLAMABAD: The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Anantnag in Occupied Kashmir has ordered that police should register cases of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy against the killers of five civilians in fake encounter, BBC reports.

According to report the relatives of the slains had complained that Indian security forces arrested and then killed these people in a fake encounter.

At that time Indian officials had stated that the special task force of Indian police and army had killed these people because they were involved in the massacre of 35 Sikhs.

But the local population challenging this claim had demanded of identity of the bodies. Finally, five bodies were exhumed and they were identified as the citizens who had gone missing. Afterwards, these bodies were handed over to the relatives, the report says.

The chief judicial magistrate has ordered constitution of a special investigation team of police under a DSP or a senior officer. This team will report the court directly by May 1.

Massive demonstrations were held in Anantnag on the issue of killing five persons and police had opened fire on a procession killing eight people, the report concludes.ÑAPP