Shopian Encounter – Charge sheet submitted by SIT team leader. (Figurative)
Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir police have filed a charge sheet against three people, including an army officer, in the alleged fake encounter in the Shopian district in southern Kashmir earlier this year.
The charge sheet was filed in the main district court and Shopian Sessions judge on Saturday by the head of the Special Investigation Team.
The defendants have been changed for plotting a conspiracy, kidnapping and killing three cousins from the Rajouri district in the Amshipora orchards in Shopian in July.
The army had also shown the recovery of a huge cache of weapons and ammunition from the “meeting” site.
An investigation carried out by the army has already accused its troops involved in the July 18 meeting. The army has said that disciplinary measures are being taken against the accused under army law.
Days after the controversial encounter and claims by a senior army officer to kill Pakistani terrorists and eliminate a major terrorist threat in the Shopian, locals alleged that the three young men killed in the encounter were three cousins who worked as laborers at the Shopian.
The police charge sheet was filed two days after the Army said the “evidence summary” registration process had been completed in the case.
“The same is being examined by the interested authorities in consultation with legal advisers to move forward,” said an Army spokesman.
He said that the Indian Army is committed to the ethical conduct of operations.
Previously, an investigative court instituted by the army had determined that the troops had exceeded the powers conferred under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and had acted in contravention of the recommendations of the Chief of Staff. of the Army (COAS). by the Supreme Court “.
“The investigation ordered by the Army authorities into Operation Amshipora has concluded. The investigation has yielded some prima facie evidence indicating that during the operation, the powers conferred by AFSPA 1990 were exceeded and violated,” said a Defense spokesman. .
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