Militants killed in Shopian not identified yet, bodies buried on established protocols: Army

After political parties in Kashmir have demanded a probe into the incident of three people killed in south Kashmir's Shopian district, the army has stated that the three militants killed during the operation have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocols. The army has also said that they have taken note of the reports on social media regarding the anti-militancy operation.

Srinagar: Indian Army on Monday said that they have taken note of the reports on the social media regarding the anti-militancy operation in south Kashmir's Shopian district, an official said.

"We have noted social media inputs linked to the operation at Shopian on 18 Jul 2020," Srinagar-based defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said in a statement. He further said that the three militants killed during the operation have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocols.

The Army is investigating the matter, he added. Earlier, People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti expressed shock while reacting to the news of three missing labourers from Rajouri.

"Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian. Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity. Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations. Probes into recent encounters must be ordered," Iltija wrote on Mehbooba Mufti's Twitter handle.

She has been tweeting from her mother's handle ever since the PDP president and former chief minister was detained in August last year.

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Meanwhile, other political parties in Kashmir have also demanded a probe into the incident. The CPI (M) said that the incident of three labourers from Rajouri going missing from Shopian district from July 17 is a serious issue and needs a time-bound judicial probe, CPI (M) said.

• Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian.Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity.Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations.Probes into recent encounters must be ordered https://t.co/7uoNlVIuuN

  — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 10, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian.Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity.Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations.Probes into recent encounters must be ordered https://t.co/7uoNlVIuuN

  — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 10, 2020

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  Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian.Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity.Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations.Probes into recent encounters must be ordered https://t.co/7uoNlVIuuN

  — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 10, 2020

“There are unverified reports that the missing labourers have been killed in a fake encounter in Shopian on July 18. This is shocking and must be probed by a sitting High Court judge in a time-bound manner, CPI (M) said.

“In the past, also unfortunate incidents of civilians being killed in fake encounters for rewards and promotions have been reported in Kashmir. The 2010 unrest was the creation of the Machil fake encounter. Those who are proved to be involved in such heinous crimes be brought to justice,” CPI (M) added.

Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari has also sought an impartial and time-bound probe to unearth the mystery behind the disappearance of three poor labourers of Rajouri district.

Bukhari, in a statement, urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order a high-level probe into the disappearance of three labourers. The families of missing labourers had on Sunday filed an FIR at Peeri Police Post, in Rajouri district. This comes 21 days after the trio went missing.

"The last time we spoke to them was on July 17, after that we were not able to establish any contact with them," the families have mentioned in their complaint to the police.

According to the FIR, "Imtiaz Ahmed son of Sabir Hussain, Ibrar Ahmed, son of Bagha Khan and Abrar Ahmed son of Mohammad Yousuf, left their homes on July 15 to find work in Kashmir. But since July 17 the families have had no contact with the trio. All of them are residents of Rajouri’s Peeri Tehsil."

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