Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed Union of India and state government to file objections to a petition demanding time bound investigation into the alleged custodial killing of a lecturer in south Kashmir district of Pulwama in August this year.
A lecturer Shabir Ahmad of village Sharshali, Pampore, in Pulwama district was taken into custody by Rashitriya Rifles (RR) during the night intervening August 17 and 18. The killing of Shabir evoked massive protests in Pulwama.
Later Shabir was allegedly killed in custody, a petition filed wife of deceased lecturer in the high court said.
The petition sought time-bound investigation into the custodial death of her husband besides proper compensation.
The case (FIR 156 of 2016 registered in Police Station Pampore under sections 302, 364, 307,447, 427 and 120-B of RPC on September Ist in connection with the killing of Shabir be investigated and charge-sheet filed before the court of law, advocate of the petitioner said and pleaded that the affected family be provided compensation.
The petitioner said that since the State through police has failed to discharge its legal, constitutional and statutory obligation in prosecuting the accused, the wife of the deceased is left with no option but to take recourse to the court.
The High Court later issued notice to Union of India through Home Secretary, state government through Financial Commissioner Home Department, Director General of Police, General officer commanding of RR and other authorities.
The court granted three weeks to the respondents to file objections to the petition.
What happened on August 19
After the death of college lecturer in the alleged thrashing by soldiers in Khrew area of Pulwama district, Army on Thursday expressed regret and ordered an inquiry into the incident even as police registered a murder case against unknown security personnel.
30-year-old Shabir Ahmad Mangoo, a resident of Shar-e-Shali Khrew died when he and several others were allegedly beaten up by army personnel at Khrew on Wednesday night, police said.
Mangoo who was a contractual lecturer at Amar Singh College is survived by his wife and a young son.
General Officer Commanding of Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Satish Dua expressed regret over the incident and said a probe has been ordered into the incident.
Police also registered a murder case against unknown security personnel.
"A case under sections 307 (attempt to Murder), 302 (murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to property) and 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) has been registered against unknown security personnel in connection with the incident at Khrew last night in which one Shabir Ahmad Mangoo was killed and 18 others were injured," a police official said.
According to the locals, the army conducted house to house searches for youth who were leading protests in Khrew on Wednesday night and residents had resisted the operation. They claimed that the security forces rounded up 28 youth, including Mangoo, and beat them up, resulting in his death.
“It was around 10.30 pm when Army vehicles entered our village from different directions. The men entered every house. They were also carrying rods and planks with nails. Anyone who came in their way was beaten up,” Abdul Majeed, a resident of Sharshali, told a Delhi-based newspaper.
Locals added that in the early morning on Thursday, army handed over the body of Shabir Ahmad Mangoo to the villagers.
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