Srinagar, Feb 25: Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the Central Government and top rung police officials of the State for filing a report in the alleged “fake encounter” killing of 21 persons in 1993 in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
 Chairman International Forum for Justice, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo and Chairman Human Rights Forum JK, Abdul Rouf Khan had filed a petition before the SHRC to seek probe into the “fake encounter” on October 17, 1993 in Puner village of Bandipora.
 The respondents in the case are the Union of India through Secretary to Home, New Delhi, State Government through Commissioner Secretary to Home Jammu Kashmir, Director General of Police JK, Commanding Officer Operations, Shariefabad, Kashmir; IGP, Kashmir Range; SSP Kupwara and SHO Police Station Bandipora.
 Seeking a thorough investigation in the matter, the petition claimed that the deceased were inhabitants of Bandipora area. “The Commanding Officer Operation, Shariefabad, Kashmir had allegedly killed 20 persons in the Puner village in district Bandipora on October 17, 1993. The CO had cordoned the area for search operations and according to Commissioner Secretary Home 20 persons were killed in an encounter and an FIR was lodged in Police station, Bandipora vide No. 1455/93 under Section RPC, 4/TADA, 25/27 Indian Arms Act,” the petition states “22 persons killed during cross firing were labeled as militants out of which only five persons were identified as locals. Rest of slain were labeled as unidentified foreign nationals belonging to Pakistan and Afghanistan,” it stated.
 The petitioners said it was found that the persons who were labeled as foreign militants were locals of the same area as was certified by the Tehsildar Sogam in his report.
 The petitioners said that the bodies of the slain persons were handed over to the legal heirs after two months so as to “cover up the fake encounter.”
 Acting on the petition, the SHRC member Rafiq Fida issued notices to the respondents asking them to file their report in the case by March 22.

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