Two years after ‘fake encounter’, victims’ kin get relief: Rs 3 lakh

Ghaziabad police registered an FIR after relatives of the deceased protested their killing. The case was later transferred to the Crime Branch and it was found by their investigations and postmortem reports that the encounter was fake. The probe found the policemen conducted it to avenge the death of a fellow policeman’s brother. Nine policemen were dismissed subsequently.

Now, ACO (North district) has written to DCP (Headquarters) seeking details of relatives of the two men killed for issuing the cheques bearing interim relief of Rs 3 lakhs each. The letter, dated September 17, says, “The head of accounts, under which the payment is to be made, may also be intimated to this office for taking appropriate action.”

Deceased Zulfiqar’s father Ghulam Nabi told Newsline the family didn’t even know they were eligible for compensation, but “some policemen guided us”. He said the family members were called to the Delhi Police Headquarters last month and given the letter detailing the compensation.

“My son was the family’s only earning member and I am working as a scrap dealer in Delhi since his death,” Nabi said. “The compensation would not, of course, get my son back but at least I can get my other children married off with the money.”

Zulfiqar’s wife, he added, is living with her parents for the past year. The couple had two children.

Babu, father of the fake encounter’s other victim Nazakat, said the family had as good as given up hope of ever getting the compensation and “actually surprised” when they got the confirmation that about the Rs 3-lakh amount.

Ghulam Nabi’s brother-in-law Irfan said, “I have seen Ghulam running from pillar to post to feed his family after the so-called encounter took away his eldest son. He has fought every day for his family’s survival.”

Ghulam Nabi’s family includes his wife, four sons and two daughters.

Nabi also expressed his “gratitude” towards Ghaziabad police personnel: “After all, they heard my plea and registered a case against their Delhi counterparts.”

Meanwhile, with Pramod Kumar Tyagi, one of the accused policemen, still at large, Ghulam Nabi says they are still living in fear. “Though we have not been able to confirm this, recently we got information that he has escaped to the US.”