| If need arises, I will raise issue of Giri's encounter, police atrocities in Assembly: RS Pura MLA | | He was alleged to have been killed by police in a fake encounter near Marble Mkt | | 
Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 7: BJP leader and R S Pura MLA, Dr Gagan Bhagat today showed his concern over the killing of Rakesh Kumar alias Giri, son of Jeet Lal of ward No 4, RS Pura, in an alleged "fake" encounter near Marble Market in the periphery of posh Trikuta Nagar (extension) locality on November 21, 2010.
"He belonged to my segment of R S Pura. And, being MLA of the constituency, I am supposed to fight for the rights of my people and their genuine problems," he said while speaking to Early Times over phone.
Asked if, like his party colleague and Forest Minister Bali Bhagat, he would also take up the Giri's "fake" encounter issue with the government for a probe into it, he replied in the affirmative. It may be mentioned here that after the recent killing of a youth in police firing at Domana, Bhagat was quick to speak to the state police chief and get a murder case registered against the five guilty cops.
Dr Gagan said that he had already spoken to the Jammu SSP in this context.
"A month or so back, Giri's family members and some locals met me at R S Pura, alleging that police had done nothing to probe into his killing. I immediately called up the Jammu SSP who told me that a proper investigation into the case was already underway."
"However, if they feel that Giri was killed in a fake encounter and police are dragging their feet in the case, they must give me all this in writing. I asked them to come to me again with a written account of the incident so that I am able to take up the matter with the government but none of them has so far turned up. I also asked them to mention in their letter all the facts of the case so that our representation is not rejected at the primary level of the investigation," Dr Bhagat said.
He said a few days back, he happened to visit the Giri's locality in connection with a public meeting. "Since I was in his locality, I took it as my duty to visit his home too but when I went there, there was no one in the house," he added.
The MLA said if Giri was actually killed by police in a fake encounter, he would personally take up the matter with Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh for a probe by an independent agency. "In such a situation, I will also raise the issue in the Legislative Assembly. But for it, everything should come to me in written from the Giri's family," he asserted.
Giri and his associates -- Yudhvir Singh alias Babloo, son of Aya Singh of Agra Chak, RS Pura and Sumit Choudhary alias Sunny Baba, son of Romesh Baba alias Baba Jat of Nai Basti - were alleged to have been hired by Nagar Singh alias Nago to eliminate witnesses in the Amandeep Singh murder case.
The witnesses had gone to attend the marriage function of their relative at City Farms near Marble Market. While police, who were tracking their mobile phone numbers, had killed Giri in an alleged fake encounter, Yudhvir had survived with bullet wounds. Baba was said to have escaped from the spot. |
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