SRINAGAR: A TADA court today directed the CBI officer who investigated the 1993 ‘Sopore massacre’, in which 50 persons were killed in alleged firing by BSF troops, to appear before it on July 14.
The court direction came on a petition filed by survivors of the massacre against the closure of the case by the CBI.
The court directed the then CBI investigation officer, DSP Vijay Kumar Shukla, to appear on before it on July 14, the counsel for the petitioners Pervez Imroz said.
Imroz said the survivors filed the petition contesting the rationale behind closure of the case by CBI and demanded reinvestigation into the killings.
The CBI had filed the closure report on December 4 last year on the grounds that the witnesses examined were unable to identify the BSF personnel involved in the incident and they could not give details of the firing or cross firing.
Further, that a period of more than 20 years has already elapsed and the accused BSF personnel have already been tried for the alleged offences u/s 302, 307 & 436 RPC by the competent court established by law (i.e. General Security Force Court constituted under BSF Act, 1968) and convicted accordingly.
The survivors through the protest petition contest the rationale of the CBI and state that it appears only 11 civilian witness statements have been taken.
In reality, there are numerous witnesses whose evidence must be recorded by the CBI.
Further, the CBI record already has names of ten BSF officers/personnel who could be indicted in this case, including then DIG R.S. Jasrotia, Sector Headquarters, BSF, Baramulla and Commandant S. Thanggapan, 94th Battalion, BSF.
Finally, through RTI information gathered, it is clear that the court-martial process by the BSF was only an attempt to cover up the massacre as the seven BSF personnel prosecuted were ultimately found guilty of ONLY Mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy houses, etc, and the maximum punishment awarded was 3 months RI in force custody.
The survivors have alleged that on January 6, 1993, personnel of the 94th Battalion, Border Security Force [BSF] carried out an attack in Sopore town that led to the killing of more than 50 civilians, injury to 10-20 civilians, and destruction of more than 500 shops and 20-25 houses.
The Sopore chowk area was burnt down including the roadside areas of: Shahabad, Bobimir Sahab, Muslim Peer, Shallapora and Kralteng. Further, Samad Talkies, and the womens college located near the Sopore chowk were also burnt.
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