Shopian 'Encounter': Anguished Families of Rajouri Youth Seek LG's Intervention
Srinagar: Anguished over the “inordinate delay” in obtaining the results of DNA tests, the families of the three Rajouri youth who were killed in an alleged encounter with the Army on July 18 in southern Kashmir’s Shopian district have written to J&K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, seeking his intervention to help them receive the bodies of their children and give them a decent burial.
In the letter, the families of Ibrar Ahmad, Abrar Ahmad and Imtiyaz express their concern over the delay in results of DNA tests, which could pave the way for the exhumation of the dead bodies. The bodies were buried as per the established protocols after nobody claimed them.
“On 13-08-2020, a team from Shopian police collected DNA samples from us and assured us that DNA report will be out within 10 days but till date we have not been informed about the reports,” reads the letter, which was shared by social activist Choudhary Guftar on his Twitter handle.
Family members of Abrar, Imtiyaz & Abrar who have been killed in Shopian on 18July wrote letter to honourable LG J&K @manojsinha_ Sb for his personal intervention. Family is waiting for DNA reports even after 28 days. Family want dead bodies of their children’s for decent burial. pic.twitter.com/eRqfV9Vd0q
— Guftar Ahmed (گفتار احمد) (@GuftarAhmedCh) September 11, 2020
On the intervening night of July 17 and 18, the three men, who had come from Rajouri to Shopian to earn a livelihood, disappeared from their rented accommodation at Chowgam.
On August 10, the families of the three youth claimed that the three ‘unidentified militants’ that the Army said it had killed in a gunfight on July 18, were, in fact, the missing labourers. On the basis of the families’ repeated claims, the government collected blood samples on August 13 to match them with the samples collected from the alleged militants who were killed on July 18 at Amshipora in Shopian.
Also Read: Three 'Militants' Killed in Shopian 'Encounter' Were Ordinary Labourers, Families Allege
In the letter, the families said they had 'rendered sacrifices' for the nation, noting that their kin fought in the Kargil war of 1999 and several others are still serving in the Army. They demanded an impartial and fair inquiry into the killings to ensure justice is delivered. “We also want the dead bodies of our children so that we can give them a decent burial. We are very much hopeful that your good self will personally intervene in this matter,” the families wrote to LG.
J&K LG Manoj Sinha. Photo: Twitter/@diprjk
Both the Army and police had ordered separate probes into the matter.
In a brief statement issued on August 11 , the Army said it is investigating the matter. “We have noted social media inputs linked to the operation at Shopian on 18 July 2020. The three Terrorists killed during the operation have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocols. The Army is investigating the matter,” reads the Army statement.
In the evening of August 13, J&K police said it will examine the claims made by the families. “Besides identification, police will also investigate all other aspects as per the law in due course of time,” the statement read.
The police also claimed that it had provided sufficient time for the identification of dead bodies at the police control room in Srinagar. “However, the dead bodies could not be identified and they were buried in presence of a magistrate,” the police statement reads.
Delay in result of DNA tests
The police had taken samples from the families of the three missing youth on August 13 to match them with the samples of three persons killed by the Army.
Sources disclosed to The Wire that only DNA samples of the three deceased were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Srinagar for profiling last month.
The lab's director Shubra Sharma had told this reporter over phone on August 25 that they were not provided with reference samples with which these samples have to be matched.
“We have done DNA profiling of those samples and made them available to the police authorities,” she said.
Later, the police sent the samples to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) Chandigarh for DNA matching.
Police officials in Srinagar, as well as Shopian, are tightlipped over whether they have received the findings of the DNA tests or if they are still being examined by the CFSL in Chandigarh
Are investigating agencies quizzing three persons?
The Wire has learnt that three persons are being questioned by investigating agencies in connection with the July 18 Amshipora encounter.
Repeated attempts by this reporter to get the version of the J&K police on whether they are questioning the three persons proved to be futile as police officials did not pick up the phone or simply said they were busy with meetings.
On September 5, a senior police official from Shopian told this reporter over phone that they have not made any arrests in connection with the encounter.
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