Amshipura Fake Encounter: Indian Army Initiates Court Martial Proceedings Against Captain
The Indian Army has initiated Court Martial against Captain Bhoopendra Singh of the Rashtriya Rifles in connection with the Amshipura fake encounter, in Shopian District of Jammu and Kashmir in July 2020.
The Army said a Court of inquiry and the summary of evidence indicated the need for "disciplinary proceedings" after three civilians were killed in Amshipura village on July 18, 2020, in what was initially described as an encounter.
What happened on?July 18, 2020?
The army had initially claimed that the three victims, Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Mohammed Ibrar, who were originally daily wage workers in an orchard were foreign terrorists.
The identity of the three youths was subsequently confirmed through a DNA test. The bodies were handed over to their families in Baramulla in October 2020 and were later buried in their native village in Rajouri.
SIT/ Court of Inquiry probe
A police investigation and a subsequent probe by a Court of inquiry by the Army were launched into the killings after protests by locals.
Jammu and Kashmir Police had constituted a special investigation team which filed a chargesheet against three people, including Captain Singh, for "staging a fake encounter" in Shopian district and killing three men.
What SIT found
It had alleged that Captain Singh had provided wrong information to his superiors and the police about the recovery made during the encounter.
The other two named by the police in its chargesheet are Tabish Nazir and Bilal Ahmed Lone, both civilians.
"By staging the encounter," the three accused "have purposefully destroyed evidence or real crime that they have committed and also have (been) purposefully projecting false information as part of a criminal conspiracy hatched between them with the motive to grab" cash rewards, it said.
The Army had, however, denied that its captain staged the encounter for cash reward, saying there was no such system for its personnel for any acts in combat situations or otherwise in the line of duty.
"The evidence was destroyed by accused Captain Singh," the charge sheet said, adding he along with the other two accused set fire to a shelter where the encounter had been staged.
The SIT charge sheet gave details of forensic analysis of the crime scene which was photographed "from all possible perspectives". The FSL (Forensic and Scientific Laboratory) team recovered vital evidence that was seized.
The Court of inquiry which was completed in the last week of December 2020 found prima facie evidence that the troops had "exceeded" powers vested under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
Hyderpora encounter??
In November 2021 there was a similar incident in Hyderpora area of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir.??
Jammu and Kashmir Police said that two terrorists identified as Haider, a Pakistani terrorist and his associate Amir Ahmad resident of Banihal, were?killed in the encounter?on November 15.
Following outrage Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the?encounter.
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