Shopian encounter: Bodies will be handed over to Rajouri families, says police

“As the DNA samples of three dead bodies of Rajouri matched with their family members, therefore these dead bodies will be exhumed and handed over to their families after due process of law,” Inspector General J&K Police (Kashmir Zone), Vijay Kumar said in Srinagar.

Shopian encounter: Police charge sheet says Army captain, 2 others attempted to destroy evidence

Giving details, sources said that the explosion took place around 1.00 pm at Slathia Chowk. (File)

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said that since the DNA samples of the labourers killed in the Amshipora encounter had matched that of the Rajouri families, the three bodies will be exhumed and handed over to them. The encounter at Amshipora in South Kashmir’s Shopian took place on July 18.

“As the DNA samples of three dead bodies of Rajouri matched with their family members, therefore these dead bodies will be exhumed and handed over to their families after due process of law,” Inspector General J&K Police (Kashmir Zone), Vijay Kumar said in Srinagar.

The families of the three slain labourers — Abrar Ahmed (25), Imtiyaz Ahmed (20) and Mohammed Ibrar (16) — had demanded that the bodies be exhumed and handed over to them, and those behind the killings be arrested. They had identified the three from social media pictures after the encounter.

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The Army had, on September 18, admitted that the three individuals killed in the encounter at Shopian were missing labourers from Rajouri, as claimed by their families. The Army statement also said its probe had “prima facie” found that its troops exceeded powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and directed disciplinary proceedings against those “answerable”.

Meanwhile, two civilians who are being questioned for their suspected role in the encounter were remanded in police custody on Tuesday.

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