Syed Tahir Bukhari
Early Times Report
BARAMULLA, Nov 13: The family members of three civilians from Nadihal Baramulla welcome the General Court Martial of those, who were found guilty in the killing of their relatives in a fake encounter in Machil Sector of Kupwara district in North Kashmir in 2010.
Firdous Ahmad Lone, brother of Riyaz Ahmad Lone of Nadihal Baramulla who was killed in a Machil Fake encounter, told Early Times that, "we were eagerly waiting for this decision, last time it happened with my brother, tomorrow it may happen with any other, and security forces must be made accountable in all respects.
"We thought that justice delayed means justice denied, but today we are happy that government has shown the sincerity by giving the right decision in our favor, he said.
According to media sources that seven Army men, including two officers have been convicted for their involvement in the 2010 Machil fake encounter case. The General Court Martial awarded life sentence to all convicts and has also suspended their service benefits.
The 2010 Machil fake encounter case had triggered widespread agitation not only in Baramulla district but in the whole valley.
Those convicted by General Court Martial (GCM) include the then Commanding Officer of the 4 Rajput regiment (the unit which was involved in the fake encounter) Col DK Pathania , Captain Upendra Singh, Subedar Satbir Singh, Havildar Bir Singh, Sepoy Chadraban, Sepoy Nagendra Singh and Sepoy Narinder Singh. Abbas Hussain Shah of Territorial Army was exonerated by the GCM.
Sources said that the court martial proceedings began in January this year and ended in September.
In 2010, three youth were gunned down in a staged encounter by troops near the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district. The victims, who were from North Kashmir were lured to Kupwara with the promise of job and money, were dubbed as Pakistani militants who attempted to infiltrate.
The men were later identified as Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone, all were residents of Nadihal of Baramulla district.
It is pertinent to mention here that in April, 2010, the army had claimed that it had killed three infiltrators in Machil sector and said they were Pakistani militants.
Meanwhile on the sidelines of PDP convention in Baramulla, Member of Parliament and senior leader of PDP, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh said it is good that law has taken its course and justice has been done. He added and said that, "PDP welcome the verdict and Law has taken its course as it should have, Beigh said. |
