Srinagar: Families of traders killed in Hyderpora encounter reject terror link claim, seek probe

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 16

After the families of two businessmen killed in Hyderpora gunfight on Tuesday contested police claims that the deceased were overground workers (OGWs) for terrorists, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party demanded a time-bound probe into the incident.

According to the police, a Pakistani terrorist and his local associate Mohammad Amir, along with two civilians — Altaf Bhat and Mudassir Gul — were killed in the encounter in Hyderpora locality, where an illegal call centre and a terror hideout were allegedly being run.

The families of Bhat and Gul, however, refuted police claims that their kin were helping terrorists and demanded that the bodies be returned for burial.

Targeting civilians

Using civilians as human shields, getting them killed and then labelling them as OGWs is part of government’s rule book now. —Mehbooba Mufti, PDP president

Transparency needed

In the midst of conflicting claims, the least we deserve is a transparent description by a neutral institution. —Sajad Lone, Chief, J&K people’s conference

Kashmir IG Vijay Kumar said Gul was an active associate of militants and was running the call centre on the premises owned by Altaf. He said Altaf would be counted among the “harbourers” of militants.

“He (Bhat) had kept the tenants and the police had no information about it. The responsibility of the owner does not end with renting out the place,” the IGP said.

Video clips of family members of Altaf were posted on social media today with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti retweeting the same. The clip features Altaf Bhat’s daughter saying, “…My father was called for a search thrice. On two occasions he was sent back but on the third he was killed. When I asked the security person why my father was killed, he just smiled. What can I say?”

Posting the video of the girl, Mufti tweeted, “Using innocent civilians as human shields, getting them killed in cross-firing and then conveniently labelling them as OGWs (overground workers) is part of GOI’s rule book now. Imperative that a credible judicial inquiry is done to bring out the truth and put an end to this rampant culture of impunity.”

NC vice president Omar Abdullah also demanded an inquiry. In a statement, the NC said a time-bound and impartial probe should be ordered. Lok Sabha MPs of National Conference Farooq Abdullah, Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi in a joint statement said the Centre should spare a thought on the impact of such killings and the subsequent culture of impunity the civilian killings have created on the psyche of people.

Both bizmen

Altaf Bhat owned a commercial complex in Hyderpora which was cordoned for an anti-terror operation and Mudasir ran a computer centre in the complex. Among the four killed was a foreign terrorist.

(With PTI inputs)