NC & Congress MLAs seek judicial probe into Ganderbal ‘encounter’

Jammu, April 4 Ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress MLAs on Saturday expressed serious concern over the Ganderbal ‘encounter’ in which one person, allegedly a civilian, was killed as they demanded a judicial probe into the incident.

During the Question Hour, NC legislators stood up alleging that an innocent has been killed in a staged gunfight in Ganderbal.

"It shouldn’t happen. We admit that the L-G has ordered an inquiry, but the Home Department should send out a message that no innocent should be killed in this sensitive state. There must be a distinction between militants and civilians," party MLA Mubarak Gul said.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather responded that an inquiry had already been ordered.

Congress MLA, Irfan Hafiz Lone, waved a placard seeking justice for the family, while NC MLA Justice Hasnain Masoodi (retd) pointed out that the body had not been handed over to the family for burial. He said that the right to a decent burial is a constitutionally accepted right.

Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat argued that a magisterial inquiry was not sufficient and insisted that a judicial inquiry should be ordered. "There should be swift justice. Justice demands speedy disposal of the matter," he said.

NC MLA Tanvir Sadiq said: "After the incident, the Chief Minister said the family’s perspective should be heard. The claims of the family need to be investigated. It is good that the LG has ordered a probe. The investigation should go to the bottom of the matter to find out what exactly happened, where, and how."

NC MLA Mir Saifullah added that security forces should be reined in to prevent such incidents in the future.

PDP MLA Aga Syed Muntazir said: "The questions raised around the Budgam encounter are being addressed through a welcome step. As the head of the Unified Command, he (the LG) has ordered a probe to find answers to these questions. Now we will wait to see what the report reveals after a week."

At this, BJP MLA R. Pathania stood up, contending that the house could not discuss the issue because it was outside its jurisdiction.

"My eight starred questions have been disallowed on the grounds that they fall under matters pertaining to the L-G or the Government of India. How is the discussion taking place on the matter which is not in the jurisdiction of the House?" he asked.

J&K L-G, Manoj Sinha, on Friday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

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