Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh on Friday reiterated that the security forces' conduct during the Hyderpora encounter was “transparent”.
Four people were killed in the operation in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar on November 15, which triggered an uproar, with political parties and some activists alleging it was a fake encounter.
Dilbag argued the Jammu and Kashmir Police felt “hurt” by the utterances of politicians. He declared, “If they [politicians] have evidence, they should present it to investigation panels... their remarks are unlawful and law will take its own course.”
The DGP declared criticism of the operation was “irresponsible on the part of certain people who know nothing about the ground situation”, ANI reported.
On Thursday, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah cast doubts over the clean chit given by a J&K Police special investigation team to the forces involved in the Hyderpora encounter.
Abdullah declared, “The police report is wrong. Police have done it to save themselves. Police had killed them and there is no doubt about it.” He demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
On Wednesday, the SIT had warned of legal action against people who were critical of its findings on the Hyderpora encounter. The chairman of the SIT, Sujit Kumar, was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, “Such speculative statements from the political leaders have a 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.”
On Thursday, the father of Amir Magray, one of the four people killed in the Hyderpora encounter, filed a writ petition in the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, seeking the return of his son's body. The plea claimed Amir was innocent and not involved in “anti-national activities or... associated with any such outfit that conspires to bring harm to the nation”.
182 terrorists killed
A total of 182 terrorists, including 44 top ultras, were killed in 100 successful operations in the Union territory, the DGP announced.
He also said that 134 youngsters joined terror ranks in the Union territory this year, with 72 of them neutralised and 22 arrested.
Dilbag said infiltration was down this year and only 34 terrorists have managed to infiltrate. Besides nine terrorists of JeM involved in the attack on a police bus in Pantha Chowk were eliminated in the last 24 hours, he added.