Srinagar: Inspector General of Police for Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar on Wednesday said bodies of three persons killed in Shopian are being exhumed and will be handed over to the family.
"On July 18, three persons were killed during an 'encounter' at Amshipora village of Shopian district by the Army. The bodies of the trio are being exhumed and will be handed to the family members after due process of law," Kumar said.
This comes a day after Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbag Singh claimed that the "DNA of all the three persons have matched with their family members and further investigation is underway."
The families of the three slain persons - Abrar Ahmed (25), Imtiyaz Ahmed (20) and Mohammed Ibrar (16) - were persistently demanding bodies and stern punishment for those behind the killings.
On Tuesday, a local court in Kashmir sent two persons arrested in connection with the probe of Ashmipora Shopian fake encounter to eight days judicial remand.
The two were arrested by the police in Shopian district and were produced in District Court Shopian, as per ETV Bharat reporter in Shopian.
A week ago, the Indian army had also said that its high-level Court of Inquiry brought out “certain prima facie evidence indicating that the powers vested under the AFSPA 1990 were exceeded during the operation.”
Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that inquiry has found that the “Do’s and Dont's of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) as approved by the Supreme Court have been contravened”.
“Consequently, the competent disciplinary authority has directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act against those found prima-facie answerable,” he had said.
READ: Two persons arrested in connection with Shopian fake encounter
“The evidence collected by the inquiry has prima-facie indicated that the three unidentified (militants) killed in Op Amshipora were Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohd Ibrar, who hailed from Rajouri,” he had said, “Their DNA report is awaited. Their involvement with (militants) or related activities is under investigation by the police.”
On July 18, police in a statement had said that three militants were killed in a gunfight with a joint team of police, army and CRPF in Shopian district on input by the army.
“On a specific input by 62RR about the presence of (militants) in village Amshipora area, an operation was launched by them in the area,” a police spokesperson had said.
During the search, he had said, the militants fired upon the Army and the encounter started. “Later on police and CRPF also joined. During the encounter three unidentified militants were killed,” he had said in the statement, adding, “Bodies of all the killed three (militants) were retrieved from the site of encounter.” However, he had said, the identification and group affiliation of the slain was being ascertained.
“Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter,” he had said.
READ: Men who tipped off army before Sophian 'encounter' arrested
