J&K bar association says Kupwara killing staged, seeks HC probe

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association has decided to approach the High Court for a probe into the Kupwara encounter after allegations that the militants

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association has decided to approach the High Court for a probe into the Kupwara encounter after allegations that the militants were killed in a staged gunfight.

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“In view of the reports about the killing of five militants by the Army, at Chak Drugmulla, Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association Srinagar, has decided to request hon’ble Chief Justice and his companion judges of the High Court at J&K to take sou-motto cognizance of the matter and entrust the investigation of the case, to a high level, reputed agency to find out, as to how and under what circumstances the five militants, were killed,” said general secretary of Bar, Bashir Sidiq.

Army and police said that five militants were killed and two armymen were wounded in an encounter with militants in Drugmulla village of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Saturday. However, some locals had expressed their doubts over the genuineness of the encounter saying the militants “seemed to have been killed 6-7 days ago and brought here”.

Kupwara superintendent of police, Aijaz Ahmad, denied the allegations, saying “This is not true. The militants were foreigners and seem to have infiltrated recently.” The association wanted the HC to intervene owing to the “concerns of the people”.