Srinagar Encounter: Clean Chit To Security Forces By Special Probe Team

The families allege that three civilians were killed in a staged encounter and were used as human shield by the security forces.

A Special Investigation Team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police probing last month's encounter in Srinagar's Hyderpora has concluded that two civilians - a doctor and a businessman - were either used as human shields by terrorists or killed by terrorists.

The SIT had earlier said both Dr Mudasir Gul and businessman Altaf Bhat were harbouring terrorists or concealing information about terrorist presence in a commercial complex where the encounter was carried out on November 15. The building was owned by Mr Bhat.

According to the police, four people including a foreign terrorist were killed during the encounter. The families allege that three civilians were killed in a staged encounter and were used as human shield by the security forces. The police said the third local, Amir Margay, who was working at Dr Mudasir Gul's office, was a close associate of killed Pakistani terrorist. 

The SIT is headed by Sujit Kumar, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Srinagar. Mr Kumar denied that he led the Hyderpora encounter and that there was a conflict of interest by heading the SIT probe.