Srinagar: Political parties in Kashmir on Friday welcomed the magisterial probe into the Ganderbal encounter, and expressed hope that a transparent inquiry will be conducted into the incident and justice will prevail.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a magisterial probe into the encounter in Ganderbal district in which one alleged terrorist was killed by security forces.
The ruling National Conference said the party commends the prompt action taken by LG Sinha, ordering a time-bound inquiry following concerns raised by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the family of the deceased, who have disputed the militant label and sought a thorough investigation.
In a statement, the party’s state spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the NC welcomes this magisterial probe as a positive and necessary step towards establishing the facts and delivering justice.
“The inquiry must be time-bound, impartial, and its findings made public at the earliest,” he said.
The party reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
People’s Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone also welcomed the magisterial inquiry.
“The ordering of a Magisterial enquiry by @OfficeOfLGJandK into the allegations made by the family of the person who was killed in an encounter in Ganderbal, is a welcome step,” Lone, who is also the MLA from Handwara, said in a post on X.
He expressed hope that a transparent inquiry would be conducted and justice would prevail.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti, while appreciating the LG’s “swift response”, said a thorough investigation would fix accountability and restore people’s confidence.
“Relieved and appreciate L-G’s swift response in ordering an enquiry after the unfortunate, tragic killing of an innocent man from Ganderbal. Evidence so far indicates his innocence, and this is a ‘fake encounter’. A thorough investigation points to accountability along with restoring people’s confidence,” Mufti said on X.
Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also expressed hope that justice would be delivered in the Ganderbal encounter case and those responsible would be held to account and punished.
“As the deeply distressing news reports of the killing of a young man, Raashid Ahmed Mughal, at Arhama, Ganderbal, in a claimed encounter came yesterday, his family saying that he was a part-time computer operator with no links to militancy who was picked up and killed in cold blood, painful memories of such encounters got revived,” Mirwaiz said.
Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jama Masjid in Nowhatta locality here, he said now that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered an inquiry, he hopes that “this time justice gets done”.
“His (Mughal’s) family seeks justice through an impartial probe. We can only hope that justice is done, as past experiences do not inspire confidence. But, let us hope that, as news came that LG sahib himself has ordered an inquiry, this time justice gets done and those responsible are held to account and punished,” he said.
Mirwaiz added that not giving Mughal’s body to the family for burial “is inhuman and condemnable”.
Mirwaiz also said “targeting of Kashmiris” by multiple agencies creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
“Almost daily, there are reports in newspapers of cases, chargesheets and arrests of Kashmiris by the multiple agencies operating here, SIA, CIK, Cyber Cell, ACB, NIA, on one ground or another. This creates an atmosphere of fear and intimidation and reinforces the narrative that portrays an entire people as dangerous and suspect to be kept under check,” he said.
“This coercive policy cannot build viable peace or lead to progress if that is what the authorities seek, as they claim,” he added. (With inputs from PTI)
