Srinagar, April 9 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah praised Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday for promptly ordering an inquiry into allegations that the Ganderbal encounter was staged.
"The good thing is that there was no attempt to conceal anything. The honourable LG promptly accepted our request for a time-bound and transparent investigation into the incident," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
The Army had claimed that a man it killed in an encounter in the Arhama forests on March 31 was a terrorist.
However, the family of the man – identified as Ganderbal resident Rashid Ahmad Mughal – has refuted the official claim that he had links with terrorists. They allege that the encounter was staged and have demanded the return of his body for proper burial.
The chief minister said Lt Gov Sinha has initiated a magisterial inquiry into the allegation, and the report is expected to be submitted within a week.
"The inquiry is ongoing. Once it is completed, the report will be made public. Our primary focus should be on preventing such incidents. But if they do occur, the truth should not be hidden. People should be informed about the truth," Abdullah said.
Asked if such incidents raise questions about the continued applicability of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the chief minister said that Jammu and Kashmir is currently a Union Territory.
"Forget AFSPA, even law and order does not fall under our jurisdiction at the moment," he said.
Responding to another question, Abdullah said that incidents like encounters raise questions about the claim of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Recently, two Pakistani militants were killed. Questions will arise as to how they (terrorists) entered. Such things should not happen in a normal situation," he said.