Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a magisterial-level inquiry into the encounter in Ganderbal district, in which one alleged terrorist was killed by security forces.
Several mainstream leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, had raised serious questions about the encounter, which took place on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
In a post on X, Sinha said, “I have ordered a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry into the Arhama, Ganderbal incident. The inquiry will examine all aspects related to the incident and ensure that justice is served.”
Referring to the incident, Mufti said the deceased, identified as Rashid Mughal, was initially described by authorities as a “foreign militant,” but was later said to be a local resident with alleged links to militancy. She said the youth was running an NGO and was an orphan, calling for accountability in the case.
“There are allegations that it was a fake encounter. The Army first said he was a foreign militant. After that, they said he was from here and was related to militancy. However, that poor boy was running an NGO. He was an orphan,” she said.
“They did not even give his body to his family. In fact, they buried him in Baramulla. So, this is happening with our youth right now,” she added.
Later in the day, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also demanded that the administration take up the probe, saying, “I believe the claim of the family should not be dismissed out of hand. At the very least, this encounter needs a transparent and time-bound probe with the facts made public.”
“Any attempt to obfuscate or delay the announcement of a probe will only damage credibility, and that is not in anyone’s interest,” he said in a post on X.
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