Srinagar: In a major embarrassment for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, the encounter in which a a top LeT militant from Pakistan was said to have been killed was allegedly fake and the victim was a civilian. A Special Police Officer(SPO) and an Army Jawan who allegedly staged the killing of an unidentified mentally challenged civilian from Rajouri as part of a conspiracy to gain personal benefits were arrested and booked for murder, police said.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the two men - SPO Noor Hussain and Territorial Army jawan Abdul Majeed - are in police custody and charged with 302 (RPC).
"I assure that law will follow its own course," he said in Srinagar.
In Poonch, SSP Ashkoor Wani told reporters that SPO Noor Hussain and the jawan Abdul Majeed were arrested on Monday for carrying out the fake encounter by murdering a civilian and calling him divisional commander of Lashker-e-Taiba Abu Usman.
"A case has been registered against the SPO and jawan of 156 Battalion of Territorial Army under section 302 Ranbir Panel Code for conspiring to murder a civilian and misleading security forces and police," he said.
Col A Arora, spokesman, Nagrota-based 16 Corps, said, "Army has ordered an independent inquiry and prompt and stern action will be taken if any individual is found guilty".
According to the SSP, the duo conspired and managed the encounter for personal benefits.
SPO Hussain hatched the conspiracy with the aim of his appointment as constable in the police force as reward for killing a top militant. He took into confidence TA jawan Majeed who became his partner in the conspiracy to get monetary benefit from the Army, Wani said.
The Army on Sunday claimed to have killed a Pakistani militant and divisional commander of Lashker-e-Taiba, Abu Usman, after a 12-hour long gunbattle at Surankote area of Poonch district in Jammu region, and claimed recovery of arms and ammunition from him. However, during the probe it was found that the deceased was a civilian.
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