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Judiciary turns the heat on Pathribal killers

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Anantnag Chief Judicial Magistrate Abdul Wahid on Tuesday ordered that a case of kidnapping and murder be registered against the security personnel involved in the Pathribal killings.

The incident had seen five civilians being shot dead at Pathribal in south Kashmir on March 25, and the police claiming that they were 'dreaded foreign militants.'

Tuesday's order follows the magistrate's direction that the bodies be exhumed. The exhumation was done after the indiscriminate firing by the Special Operations Group on a procession at Brakpora in southern Anantnag district to protest the killings.

The CJM had then directed Anantnag Deputy Inspector General Javed Mukhdoomi to constitute a special team of officers headed by an officer not below the rank of a deputy superintendent of police for the investigation.

The CJM also directed the DIG to personally supervise the enquiry and furnish periodic reports to the court. He asked for the first report on May 1.

In his report to the court on Tuesday, Deputy Superintendent of Police Shiekh Abdul Rahman prima facie established that those killed at Pathribal were civilians and not foreign militants as claimed by the state.

Meanwhile, militants attacked the heavily guarded Safakadal police station building with hand grenades and automatic weapons, injuring 10 policemen.

In the Old City, the alleged custodial killing of a divisional commander of the militant outfit Hizbul Mujaheedin triggered off protests. Senior leaders of the All-Parties Hurriyat Conference attended the funeral.

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