Omar challenges Army to come clean on Parthribal case

Challenging the Army to hold a fresh probe in Pathribal fake encounter, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the state government will proceed to the High Court in case it has to proceed through a writ petition to provide justice to people.
"In case we have to proceed through a writ petition in the High Court, we will surely do it. We are committed to ensuring justice to the people in these cases", Omar told the assembly here this evening.
Omar was reacting to the closure of Pathribal fake encounter case by the army exonerating all the officers in it in January this year.

"But I have been told we can go for a writ in the High Court. I have already told Law Department and Advocate General in this direction to examine all aspects of the decision of the Army to close the case", Omar said.
Taking a dig at the Army, he said "if we say that those who were accused of it were not found responsible for it, then you should hold a fresh inquiry and then tell us who is responsible for it".
"And as far as Pathribal case is concerned, if we say that we are not satisfied with the Pathribal case decision by the Army, it will not be wrong to say this", he said.

The Chief Minister said "five people were killed. There is no doubt of it. All the five were innocents, there is no doubt about it. If five people were killed and they were innocents, therefore somebody was responsible", Omar said.

"Bullets were fired by somebody. They have not committed suicide. They have not gone to the graveyard and buried themselves. Somebody may have killed them", he said.
Omar said "if I accept even for a minute that those responsible for it, they did not found any evidences, then tell us who is responsible. You cannot brush these things under the carpet. You cannot hide. People will hot accept it".

On January 23, Army announced closure of the Pathribal fake encounter case saying the evidence recorded could not establish prima facie charges against any of the accused persons.