Srinagar: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Jammu and Kashmir police probing the Hyderpora encounter, on Wednesday termed the reactions from various political leaders and families of the slain to Tuesday’s police revelations in the incident as “speculative”.
In a statement issued here, chairman of the SIT said such statements “have tendency to create provocation, rumour, fear and alarm among the general masses or particular section of society,”.
“Such speculative statements from the political leaders have tendency to create provocation, rumour, fear and alarm among the general masses or particular section of society. This kind of approach is against the rule of law and may attract appropriate penal provisions as envisaged under law,” the statement said.
The response from the SIT comes a day after police put forth the sequence of events of the Hyderpora encounter and stated that the civilian Muhammad Altaf Bhat, owner of the building where the encounter broke out, was used by the slain militant as a human shield adding that the civilian had died in cross firing.
In the statement, the SIT said that it has come across “several posts on media from some political leaders and family members wherein they have casted doubts upon the evidences obtained by SIT so far”.
“Today on 29.12.2021 SIT (Special Investigation Team) came across with several posts on media from some political leaders and family members wherein they have casted doubts upon the evidences obtained by SIT so far. These people have tried to call it “Concocted Cover up Story”, “Ornamental Probe”, “Clean Chit to Killers”, “Fairy Tale of Police” etc, the SIT said in the statement.
The SIT chairman said people making statements regarding the police revelation into the incident should have rather “approached the enquiry officer with genuine evidences”.
“Pertinent to mention also that vide District Magistrate vide his Order NO. DMS/JUDINQUIRY/2838/2845/2021 Dated: 18.11.2021 wherein magisterial enquiry was initiated under section 176 Cr.Pc and accordingly the enquiry officer vide NO. ADM(K)/PSINQ/2021/1168/1172 Dated: 18.11.2021 issued a general notice through the electronic and print media and invited members of the general public to record his/her statement if any such person has any acquaintance or knowledge or proof regarding the incident. All such person making statements should have approached the enquiry officer with genuine evidences they have, for corroboration or contradiction of the facts surfaced in the case” the SIT statement said.
“The SIT constituted in the instant case is still investigating the matter, all such persons are once again advised to provide any type of evidence if they have regarding the incident so that every aspect of investigation is covered and concluded on merits” the statement said.
It may be mentioned that Police on Tuesday said that owner of the building (Hyderpora encounter site), Muhammad Altaf Bhat was used as human shield by the slain militant and the civilian had died in cross fire. Police had said the investigations into the incident were still open.
This was stated by the SIT of Jammu and Kashmir Police head DIG Sujit Kumar during a press conference. The SIT was tasked to probe the Hyderpora encounter in which four persons were killed on November 15. Director General of Police, J&K, Dilbag Singh and IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar were also present during the media conference.
Sujit Kumar said that a zonal-level SIT constituted for Hyderpora operation established certain things – 2 pistols, 4 magazines, etc were seized from the initial site.
Kumar had said that prima facie evidence shows that Dr Gul was shot dead by the foreign militant on the directions “possibly from across”.
Kumar said that besides examining the CCTV footage and call detail records, the SIT has also examined more than 20 witnesses so far.