Srinagar, New Delhi:
The J&K police have named a Major of the 4 Rajput Batallion for killing innocent villagers in a 'fake' encounter near the Line of Control and passing them off as militants. The report was sent to the Army which has now ordered a high level inquiry.
(Read: Army to cooperate in alleged fake encounter case probe)The Army major is the highest ranking officer in the fake encounter case which has rocked Kashmir. A jawan and two informers have already been arrested.
The three villagers were killed a month ago near the border and the Army team claimed they were infiltrators.
The major had filed an FIR on April 30, claiming to have led the operation in which three militants were killed.
"Unfortunately the battalion has moved out of the area and it would be better not to comment right now but my commitment to the Chief Minister is that typical of the northern Army, we will be totally transparent and there will be no skeletons kept in the cupboard," said Lt. General B S Jaswal, GoC, Northern Command.
Despite the Army and the government's promise to deliver justice, the big question in the valley is - were there more such victims?
In a burial ground near the Line of Control, around 400 unidentified suspected militants have been buried over the last many years.
While the Army has promised a fast track inquiry into Machil encounter to punish the guilty, sources say police have received several missing reports in north Kashmir and are investigating if there was a larger racket of fake encounters for rewards in the area.
Also see:Army 'fake encounter' case: J&K Chief Minister orders probe