Srinagar, Apr 03: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the encounter killing allegedly a man in Arhama village of Ganderbal district, following allegations from the family that the deceased was an innocent civilian.
The District Magistrate of Ganderbal has been asked to complete a “thorough and impartial” probe within seven days and submit the report to the Home Department, an official communication said.
The inquiry will examine the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Raashid Ahmad Mughal, son of late Gull Zaman Mughal.
The Army had earlier this week claimed to have killed an unidentified terrorist in the area.
Several mainstream leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, had raised questions about the encounter.
Srinagar MP Syed Aga Ruhullah said the family’s claims — that Mughal had no militant links, that his clothes were changed, and that the Army was refusing to reveal his identity — were “gravely serious.” He termed the silence of the J&K Police “unacceptable” and demanded a time-bound, independent probe.
Kangan MLA Mian Mehar Ali welcomed the magisterial inquiry but pressed for a judicial probe. “The concerns of the family and locals need a thorough examination. We demand a time-bound judicial inquiry to ensure justice,” he said.
Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone called the LG’s order a “welcome step” and said a transparent investigation was necessary. “The family has raised serious allegations. Justice must be served,” the Handwara MLA said.
BJP’s Kashmir media in-charge, Advocate Sajid Yousuf Shah, backed the move, calling it “constructive.” He said the probe must be “fair, transparent, and time-bound” to strengthen public trust in the due process of law.
Meanwhile, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday expressed hope that justice would be delivered in the Ganderbal encounter case and those responsible would be held to account and punished.
“As the deeply distressing news reports of the killing of a young man, Raashid Ahmed Mughal, at Arhama, Ganderbal, in a claimed encounter came yesterday, his family saying that he was a part-time computer operator with no links to militancy who was picked up and killed in cold blood, painful memories of such encounters got revived,” Mirwaiz said.
He was addressing the Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta locality here.
He said now that Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered an inquiry, he hopes that “this time justice gets done”.
“His (Mughal’s) family seeks justice through an impartial probe. We can only hope that justice is done, as past experiences do not inspire confidence. But, let us hope that, as news came that L-G sahib himself has ordered an inquiry, this time justice gets done and those responsible are held to account and punished,” he said.
The Mirwaiz added that not giving Mughal’s body to the family for burial “is inhuman and condemnable”.
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