With Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voicing doubts on all encounters and vowing to probe these, Army today promised full cooperation and action against the guilty but insisted on the necessity of special powers for security forces for "legal protection".
"We will fully cooperate in all investigations," a senior Army official said here.
Insisting that the "Army follows a policy of zero tolerance for human rights violations", he said, "action willcertainly be taken against violations of the code of conduct set for personnel operating in areas where Armed ForcesSpecial Powers Act (AFSPA) is in force."
His reaction came after Abdullah said that after the controversy over Machil encounter killing of three people,there were doubts over all the encounters that have taken place, even upto eight years back.
Abdullah has promised to investigate all these.
"The Army will remain transparent in the encounters," the army official said.
With regard to the AFSPA in which Abdullah wants changes, the Army official said when the armed forces are sent forhandling an internal security situation, they need the "legal protection" under the AFSPA to carry out theiroperations effectively.
He, however, added that since the demand for changes in AFSPA had been made by the state Chief Minister, it was forthe political leadership to take a decision on it.
{{/usCountry}}He, however, added that since the demand for changes in AFSPA had been made by the state Chief Minister, it was forthe political leadership to take a decision on it.
{{/usCountry}}The Machhil encounter has been shrouded in a controversy after complaints that some army personnel killed threeinnocent youth near the Line of Control on April 30 labelling them as terrorists.
The state police has arrested one armyman and a case has been filed against a Major in connection with the encounter.