Lawaypora ‘Encounter’: No Question Of Returning Bodies To Families: IGP Says Trio’s Involvement In Militancy Proved 60%, Will Convince Their Parents

 Firdous Qadri

Srinagar, Jan 18 (GNS): Police on Monday ruled out the handing over to families the bodies of three persons killed in an “encounter” at Lawaypora in outskirts of Srinagar last month, saying that the involvement of the slain in militancy has been proved by 60% so far and within next ten days their parents would be convinced about it through more data.Talking to reporters here on sides of a function regarding the traffic awareness month, Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar also announced that the security establishment was all prepared for ensuing January 26 functions even as “militants will try to carry out some incident.”   Responding to a question about the status of the investigation regarding Lawaypora “encounter”, the top police officer of Kashmir said that police was deliberately not sharing the details being a “very sensitive matter.” “So far the data collected by us shows that all the three associates killed in the encounter were involved in providing logistics (to militants).  We want to take more time and will take ten more days to show to their parents and convince them where their children were involved,” he said as per the GNS correspondent.  Asked about the demand of the families of the slain including the father of one of the killed, Athar, that bodies be returned to them, he said, “As you know that a protocol is followed whenever there is any civilian’s death and people accept it. If we give body of any militant or associate, people turn up in thousands and the covid-19 is not over yet. Thousands of people will come and they either have to be dispersed by firing teargas shells or pellets. You will also criticize us then. Their burial (burial of the trio) has been carried out in presence of the families including their parents. There was the presence of the magistrate and police also. There is no logic of returning the bodies as burial does not take twice.”To a question that if it can be assumed that police is not returning their bodies for burial at the ancestral place, the IGP said, “There is no question of returning the bodies. Their involvement has been proved almost by 60% and data is coming and we will place everything before their parents to convince them about the involvement of their children.”Asked if it is a permanent policy of police not to handover the bodies of the militants to their families, he said, “Until there is covid-19 problem we will not do it. You have seen that people get emotional in the burial of militants or their associates and people do not follow our directions unlike in case o the civilian death,” he said, adding, “There are only two means to stop, either by force in which there could be firing and further loss and second is not to handover the body for the larger public interest.”Asked about Amshipora Shopian “fake encounter” and denial of army that the killing of three innocent persons from Rajouri on 18 July 2020 was done for money, he said, “It has been misinterpreted by media and social media. Money is given to the source in every encounter and not to the officer whether from police, military or paramilitary. In this case also, company commander has given the money as promised to source and the source has himself recorded before the magistrate under 164 IPC that money has been given to the source. They have not said Major or CO has been given the money and it has misinterpreted in media and social media.” (GNS)