Shopian 'fake' encounter: Army hopes evidence summary can take case forward

The Army expressed hope that the Summary of Evidence, a step before a possible court martial, in July's encounter in South Kashmir's Shopian would conclude soon and take the case to the next stage

The Army on Saturday expressed hope that the Summary of Evidence, a step before a possible court martial, in July's Amshipura encounter in South Kashmir's Shopian district would conclude soon and take the case to the next stage.

Corps Commander of the Army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, Lt Gen B S Raju said the Army had begun the Summary of Evidence as some wrongs were committed during the encounter at Amshipura on July 18 in which the Army claimed that three militants were killed.

We have already shared the basic information (in the case) that the initial court of inquiry has been concluded and we have seen some wrongs committed. On the basis of that, we have ordered the Summary of Evidence which is going on and we hope it concludes soon so that we go into the next stage, Lt Gen Raju said.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a passing-out-cum-attestation parade of 301 youths from the Union territory at the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regimental Centre at Rangreth in the outskirts of the city here.

The Army had initiated a Court of Inquiry into the case after social media reports indicated that the three men were from Rajouri district in Jammu and had gone missing at Amshipura. The probe was completed in a record four weeks and Summary of Evidence was initiated.

The families of the three men from Rajouri who worked as labourers in Shopian had also filed a police complaint.

The police also conducted an inquiry into the case and on September 30, IGP, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the DNA samples of the victims had matched with their families.

On October 3, the bodies of the trio were exhumed and handed over to their families.