Srinagar, Jan 18 (PTI) A National Conference (NC) delegation called on Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha here on Monday and demanded the release of political detainees and speeding up of the inquiry into the killing of three youths in an “encounter” with security forces in the Lawaypora area of the city last month.
The families of the youths have alleged that they were innocent and killed in a fake encounter, but the police have maintained that they were involved in militancy.
The delegation of NC functionaries, led by party leader and Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi, submitted a memorandum to the LG, demanding redressal of an assortment of issues concerning the people of Jammu and Kashmir, a spokesperson of the party said.
He said the delegation apprised the LG of the human rights violations, the untenable detention of political workers and leaders, the widespread administrative inertia, a persistent closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway and the curtailment of ration to people.
It urged Sinha to expedite the administrative response in the aftermath of the snowfall without any further delay, the spokesperson said.
In the memorandum, the party said there was an incongruity between the versions of the police and the family members of the deceased on the killing of the three youths in the Hokarsar area of Lawaypora in Srinagar last month, which has created misgivings among the public.
“The ambiguous version of the police is far from convincing, thus giving credence to the version of the families of the three slain youths. Previously also, the inquiry into the Amshipora Shopian encounter had revealed that the slain youths were not combatants, but poor students who had come to Shopian to earn their living,” the memorandum said.
It added that the recurrence of such incidents exposes the “scenario of impunity” in Jammu and Kashmir, “debunking the claims of the government of India on zero tolerance for human rights violations”.
“Such incidents, we believe, pose a challenge to the permanence of peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, we request your good self to expedite the inquiry into the unfortunate incident and also ensure that the bodies of the slain youths are returned to the bereaved families; the measure will bring respite to their pain.
“We also anticipate an assurance from you that such incidents will not be allowed to recur in the future,” the memorandum read.
The NC leaders said in the memorandum that the continuous and “untenable” detention of various political leaders has “endangered the well-being” of the workers, activists, leaders of the party and other parties as well.
“We, therefore, request you to ensure an early release of all such detainees without any further delay,” they said.
The LG assured the members of the delegation that a panel has been formed to look into the Lawaypora killings in order to remove the misgivings, the NC spokesperson said.
On the issue of detention of leaders and workers of political parties, Sinha said steps would be taken to ensure their release, he added.
The LG also assured the delegation members of an early redressal of all the other issues raised by them, the NC spokesperson said.
