Cong leader says some cops killed innocents in fake encounters for promotions and rewards
Jehangir Lolabi
Srinagar, April 3 : Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Wednesday said that state police had committed “excesses” as some cops whom he termed as “nasoor” had killed innocent people for promotions and rewards.
Azad said during his tenure as chief minister, some families had complained to him about their kin having been picked up by police. “ After months of investigating the matter myself, it came to fore that police had picked up three innocent street vendors, killed them in a fake encounter and tried to pass them off as Pakistani militants,” he said.
“It was a matter of shame that 13 police personnel, our own people, were found involved and suspended,” he said.
“We just abuse the fauj but it’s a fact that our own police has committed excesses too,” he said.
Azad said when he took over as chief minister, he made it clear that custodial killings were unacceptable.
“Police has been at the forefront of fighting militancy and has offered immense sacrifices but some policemen also killed innocent people for promotions and rewards. Justice is that you fight militancy but do not pick up street vendors and kill them and pass them off as Pakistani militants,” he said.
Azad said that because of the action he took against the cops, people had started to “believe that innocents would not be killed in fake encounters.”
“However, when such excesses take place, people are bound to revolt. Why is it that situation is worse than the 1990s since 2014?” he asked
Azad held Prime Minister Narendra Modi responsible for the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The head of a regional party whom I am not going to name is equally responsible as she committed excesses against Kashmiris. Her party is now on the verge of extinction,” he said in an apparent reference to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the rally, Azad said Modi should introspect before accusing others of using the language of separatists.
He was responding to a query on Modi hitting out at NC leader Omar Abdullah for his recent remarks on the erosion of J&K’s special status.
Azad said Modi and his ministers have been “abusing” people of Kashmir.
‘They have cornered the people of Kashmir,” he said.
The Congress leader said the party’s manifesto for JK had been created after the hectic feedback process. (GNS)
