Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar (NVI): The Jammu and Kashmir Police today categorically said that three youths killed in December 30 encounter in Srinagar’s Lawaypora area were providing logistic support to militants and that the police have already collected 60 per cent of evidence to prove their connection.
While talking to media here, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar said that the slain youths were linked with militancy and police has collected 60 per cent of evidence.
“We have collected 60 percent evidence and in coming days, we will collect more evidence including the technical one and will first convince the parents of slain trio that their sons were involved in militancy and were providing logistic support to militants,” Kumar said on the sidelines of a function related to Traffic Safety Week.
The IGP’s remarks come amidst claims by the protesting families of these youths that they were just students. The family members of the three slain youths have also been demanding their dead bodies but the IGP today said that the bodies won’t be handed over to families till Covid-19 pandemic is over.
“The bodies won’t be handed over to the families till Covid-19 pandemic is over. There are apprehensions that people will violate Covid-19 guidelines and will endanger precious lives,” he said adding the bodies of all slain militants are being buried in the presence of their family members.
Three youths from South Kashmir– two from Pulwama and one from Shopian district– were killed in an encounter on December 30 in Lawaypora area in Srinagar outskirts.
Shortly after the encounter, families had termed the encounter ‘fake’, claiming that the slain youths were students. The slain ‘militants’- Zubair Ahmed from Turkwangam in Shopian, Ajaz Maqbool of Mitrigam in Pulwama and Athar Mushtaq from Belou in Pulwama were buried in Sonmarg area of Central Kashmir.
While responding to another query, the IGP said that militants are luring youth and providing them arms and ammunition to carry out attacks. “Yesterday, we apprehended a youth from Anantnag, along with a pistol and grenade who was tasked to kill someone. We are at it and will counter the trend through human tracking and this is our top priority,” he said.
-ARK
