Srinagar, Aug 13: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has asked the State Government to register a case against the persons involved in fake encounter killing of Peoples Democratic Party activist, six years ago in south Kashmir’s Islamabad (Anantnag) district.
 In his complaint to the Commission, Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh son of Muhammad Akbar Sheikh of Wularhama Pahalgam stated that his son Muhammad Shafi was allegedly kidnapped and killed in May 2005. 
 He stated his son an activist of Peoples Democratic Party left home along with his two friends namely Bashir Ahmad Khan and Ghulam Muhammad to Sales Tax Office Islamabad (Anantnag) where they had applied for their appointment.
 “While coming out of the Sales Tax office Muhammad Ashraf Khan a renegade (Ikhawani) allegedly kidnapped my son. On May 23, 2005 we came to know his body was lying in police station Bijbehera,” he said.
 Following the complainant, the SHRC sought factual report from Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police. The police in their report stated that as per the FIR lodged by forces the deceased was a militant and arms were recovered from his possession.
 The Commission said that the complainant produced two witnesses Ghulam Muhammad Ahangar and Bashir Ahmad Khan in the case. “Both the witnesses negated the version of the IGP Kashmir Zone and substantiated the version of the complainant,” it said.
 Following their deposition, the Commission entrusted the inquiry to its police  investigation wing (PIW),  which recorded the statements of four witnesses and also obtained the copy of the report of SSB CID (SB) Kashmir addressed to IGP CID vide his letter number SSP CID /Index/HR/54 dated  May 31, 2011.
 The Commission says the report of SSP CID substantiates the version of the complainant which is in contrast to the report of IGP Kashmir Zone.
 In his judgment, the member SHRC, Abdul Rashid Khan states that statements of two eyewitnesses, the findings of the enquiry officer of PIW, and other facts and material on file establishes beyond any doubt that deceased was not involved in any kind of subversive activities and “lifted by Muhammad Ashraf Khan and later on killed in stage managed fake encounter by the security forces.”
 “It is, therefore, recommended to the Government through learned Chief Secretary Jammu and Kashmir that a fresh case be registered against the culprits responsible for the killing of Muhammad Shafi,” it said.
 Besides it, the Commission also recommended departmental inquiry against the  then police officials posted in Islamabad (Anantnag) for burking of crime by not taking any cognizance into the complaint lodged by the complainant and benefits of ex-gratia to the next of kin of the deceased.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 13 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST