Srinagar, April 19, CNS: A local court in Bandipora has declared three persons as proclaimed offenders after they failed to surrender before Police who are wanted in the killing of seven civilians in 1996. The accused include former Ikhwani commander Rashid Billa.
Court of Judicial Magistrate Sumbal directed Deputy Commissioner Bandipora to attach the immovable and movable property of the three accused and asked him to take possession of the property by seizure.
The court also directed J&K police to publish a written proclamation in a widely circulated newspaper requiring the three accused to appear before the lower court within 30 days.
According to the directions, the J&K has to read the proclamation publicly in a conspicuous place of the town/village in which the accused reside and also have to affix the proclamation in some conspicuous part of the house in which the accused ordinarily resides.
Seven civilians of three families including women and children were killed on October 5, 1996 by government gunmen (Ikhwan) lead by Abdul Rashid Parray alias Rashid Billa, Wali Mohammad Mir and Mohammad Ayoub Dar, then working for the army.
In March this year High Court granted the police a last chance to complete investigations and arrest the accused in FIR no. 125/1996 relating to the 5 October 1996 Saderkoot massacre.
High court has also directed SHO Sumbal Police Station to file a charge sheet in to the killings.
Pursuant to the court order, Police approached the Court of Judicial Magistrate, Sumbal for directions towards the satisfaction of the High Court order.
On 11 April 2016, the Judicial Magistrate found that the three accused in the case – Abdul Rashid Parray alias Rashid Billa, Wali Mohammad Mir and Mohammad Ayoub Dar – were concealing themselves and declared them to be “proclaimed offenders”.
The case is listed for further hearing in the High Court in the week beginning from 25 April 2016.
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