Hyderpora victims were terrorist’s human shield

NT Correspondent

Srinagar, Dec. 28: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Jammu and Kashmir Police which was formed to probe the Hyderpora encounter on Tuesday said that one of the slain civilians was killed by the “foreign terrorist” during the operation, while another one who was used as a “human shield” by the same militant and was killed in the cross-firing.

An encounter in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area last month had triggered a massive controversy in the valley. Of four persons killed in the operation, families of three civilians had challenged the police claims, saying they had no links with the militants.

The families of two slain civilians from Srinagar, building owner Altaf Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul, who had taken rooms on rent, had said the duo were made as human shields by the security forces during the operation.

On Tuesday, Deputy Inspector General(DIG) Central Kashmir Range, Sujit Kumar who is heading the SIT probe also ruled out any wrong happening on the part of the security forces. “The building owner Altaf was made a human shield by the terrorist and killed in a cross-fire. Mudasir was killed by the terrorist,” he said.

He also maintained that another slain Mohammad Amir, who was described as the “terror associate” by the Kashmir Police had closed links with the foreign terrorist Bilal.

“We have found out that Amir was frequently visiting Bandipora(in North Kashmir). Why would someone visit Bandipora so frequently when he had fled that place in 2008?’ said Kumar.

The SIT chief also said that house owner Bhat’s family has not given satisfactory answers to the questions sent to them. “There are no satisfactory details from the Altaf ’s family-like as to whom the building chambers have been rented and related to rent deed etc,” he said.

He added at no point, any one of the civilians informed the security forces about the presence of the terrorist inside. —(PTI)