Army hands over life terms to 5 in Machil fake encounter case
14 Nov 2014 5:22 AM IST
In an unprecedented move, Army has handed life sentence to five of its personnel in connection with Machil fake encounter case of three youths in Jammu and Kashmir in 2010. Confirming the information, Army sources in New Delhi said the court martial proceedings began in January this year and ended in September. In April, 2010, army had killed three youths in the Machil sector and claimed they were Pakistani militants. However, they were later identified as the residents of Baramulla district.
The men were later identified as Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone. The families of the deceased claimed the Army had lured the three to a border area promising them jobs and money and later killing them near the line of control and claiming that they were terrorists.The incident sparked widespread protests in the Valley.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote on micro-blogging site twitter, ‘The Army has handed out life sentences to seven inc(luding) the Commanding officer in the Machil fake encounter case of 2010. This is indeed a very welcome step.’
Hailing the verdict of the general court martial, Omar tweeted, ‘This is a watershed moment. No one in Kashmir ever believed that justice would be done in such cases. Faith in institutions disappeared.’
‘I hope that we never see such #Machil fake encounter type of incidents ever again and let this serve as a warning to those tempted to try.’
The killings sparked widespread protests in Kashmir valley, which snowballed into a full-fledged agitation lasting till mid-October in 2010. Nearly 120 people were killed in security forces’ action in the five months following the Machil fake encounter deaths.
The men were later identified as Shahzad Ahmad Khan, Riyaz Ahmad Lone and Muhammad Shafi Lone. The families of the deceased claimed the Army had lured the three to a border area promising them jobs and money and later killing them near the line of control and claiming that they were terrorists.The incident sparked widespread protests in the Valley.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah wrote on micro-blogging site twitter, ‘The Army has handed out life sentences to seven inc(luding) the Commanding officer in the Machil fake encounter case of 2010. This is indeed a very welcome step.’
Hailing the verdict of the general court martial, Omar tweeted, ‘This is a watershed moment. No one in Kashmir ever believed that justice would be done in such cases. Faith in institutions disappeared.’
‘I hope that we never see such #Machil fake encounter type of incidents ever again and let this serve as a warning to those tempted to try.’
The killings sparked widespread protests in Kashmir valley, which snowballed into a full-fledged agitation lasting till mid-October in 2010. Nearly 120 people were killed in security forces’ action in the five months following the Machil fake encounter deaths.
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