FAKE KILLINGS
Admn accused of delaying investigation
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, September 2
Family members of the three persons, allegedly killed by Army officials in a fake encounter in the Peer Badeswar area here in early 2007, have accused the district administration of trying to save the Army officers involved by adopting delay tactics in the investigations.

Muhammad Farooq, brother of Muhammad Yousuf, who along with two others was allegedly killed by troops of 18 Dogra Regiment in a fake encounter and buried in a pit near the Army camp in the Peer Badeswar area, has alleged that the body of the deceased was exhumed four months after they had requested the then DC Pervez Ahmed Malik to start an inquiry in March 2007.

“After my brother’s body was exhumed in June, 2007, it took the district administration one and half months to send the DNA and other samples to the central testing laboratory in Kolkata. The laboratory sent back the team that had gone with the samples saying its prescribed methodology was not adopted by the district administration in the collection of samples”, Farooq alleged. “I heard that the laboratory authorities had also asked the police team to get the blood samples of members of our family to ascertain the identity of my brother. The blood samples were to be collected in the presence of a magistrate and to be packed along with the remains of my deceased brother, but none of the procedures were followed. This clearly indicates that the district administration is trying to save the culprits”. He further alleged that blood samples were to be collected during day time, but were collected in the night hours.

DC, Rajouri, Sheikh Rafiq told The Tribune that most of the allegations are unfounded and far from the truth.

“In no way are we delaying the investigations, and why should the district administration be trying to save the accused Armymen? We don’t mind recommending the severest action for the accused, if their involvement is proved,” the DC said.

In response to the allegation of the family members regarding blood samples being collected and packed with the remains of the victim’s body in the absence of a magistrate and the collection being carried out in the evening hours, he said if there was some discrepancy in the blood sample collection, these could be collected again.