PDP, NC, CPI(M) demand probe into killing of Lashkar ultra in anti-terror operation

PTI

Srinagar, October 19

Several political parties, including the PDP and the National Conference, on Wednesday called for a probe into the killing of an arrested “hybrid” Lashkar-e-Toiba militant during an anti-militancy operation in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Imran Bashir Ganaie was arrested for his alleged involvement in the killing of two labourers at Harmain in district in the early hours of Tuesday.

He was killed early on Wednesday in firing by militants when police launched an anti-terror operation in Shopian’s Naugam area, according to the Kashmir Zone police.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)president Mehbooba Mufti said the killing of Kashmiri Pandits and labourers was condemnable but the death of an accused by militants while he was in police custody has given rise to allegations that it was a part of the “catch and kill” policy.

“This has been earlier used in Punjab .... it looks like there will be attempts to disturb the peace here as the elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh draw closer so that the BJP can get the maximum benefit from Hindu-Muslim polarisation,” she alleged.

The Kashmir Zone police in a tweet said, “Based on the disclosure of arrested hybrid terrorist and in continuous raids by police and security forces, another contact has been established between terrorists and SFs at Nowgam, Shopian, in which hybrid terrorist Imran Bashir Ganai was killed by the firing of another terrorist.” National Conference (NC) leader and Lok Sabha member from South Kashmir Hasnain Masoodi said the details given regarding the incident are “not only sketchy but leave many important questions answered”.

Police have coined the term ‘hybrid militants’ for those radicalised youth who are not listed as ultras but carry out a terror strike and then slip back into routine life.

Taking to Twitter, Mehbooba questioned the police claim that terrorists managed to kill Ganai while he was in custody. This “defies logic and deserves a thorough investigation”, she said.

“If militants can kill someone in the custody of police with such ease, it goes on to show what could be the fate of ordinary people,” she told reporters after a meeting at her party’s office here.

Masoodi demanded an independent and impartial probe into Ganai’s killing and said, “While civilian killings call for outright condemnation and cannot be condoned on any ground whatsoever, the killing of a young boy labelled a hybrid militant, in police custody is cause of grave concern and warrants open, independent and impartial probe.” “The details given regarding the occurrence are not only sketchy but leave many important questions answered,” he said in a statement.

CPI(M) state secretary Ghulam Nabi Malik condemned the alleged custodial killing of Ganai and demanded a credible probe into the incident.

“It is widely perceived that the said person had not been involved in any unlawful activity,” he said.

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