Family alleges being offered Rs 1 crore plus job to ‘remain silent’, SSP Sopore denies
Srinagar: More than 40 days have passed since the expiry of the deadline fixed for submission of inquiry report into the alleged custodial killing of a youth in Sopore, but the inquiry officer has so far failed to submit the report regarding the subject.
The family members of the youth have alleged that despite approaching the authorities with a request to submit the inquiry, they have been turned away on one or the other pretext and are instead being offered money and jobs for remaining silent.
Citing the reasons for the delay in submission of the report, the Inquiry Officer Additional Deputy Commissioner Baramulla, Mohammad Ahsaan, said that his cook had tested positive for COVID, due to which he had gone for self-quarantine, which affected the inquiry process.
Contrary to the version given by the officials regarding the delay in submitting the inquiry report, the family members alleged that the delay in submitting the report is due to tremendous pressure on the inquiry officer from police, “to force us to accept compensation so that the matter gets hushed up”.
The elder brother of the slain youth Javed Akbar alleged that SSP and SDPO Sopore have approached them a number of times with an apology and are offering us an amount of one crore plus job, to go easy on the matter.
DGP Dilbagh Singh, when contacted to seek his comment over the allegation of the family of Irfan Ahmed Dar, refused to do so and instead told to talk to his juniors.
Meanwhile, SSP Sopore Javed Iqbal, while out-rightly refuting the allegations of the family, termed those as baseless.
Irfan Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Akbar Dar, a resident of Sidiq Colony Sopore in Baramulla district, a shopkeeper by profession was found dead in mysterious circumstances on September 16, after being picked up by Police from his home during a night raid a day earlier.
However, Police in its statement had claimed that the youth was an OGW and had escaped while being taken for recovery of arms.
The statement said, “the OGW while taking advantage of darkness and terrain managed to escape regarding which a separate Case FIR No 71/2020 U/S 224 IPC was registered in Police Station Bomai and during search; the body of OGW was found near Stone Quarry of Tujjar-Sharief.”
Immediately after the death of the youth in mysterious circumstances, the family had termed it a custodial killing, followed by widespread protests in the area forcing the authorities to order a probe into the death of the youth.
The order was issued by DC Baramulla on 17th September 2020, appointing the ADC Baramulla as the inquiry officer into the incident advising him to submit the report within a stipulated time of 20 days.
Worthwhile to mention is that more than two months have passed since the probe was ordered and more than 40 days have passed from the deadline fixed for submission of the inquiry report, it is yet to be submitted.
When again asked about the expected date for the probe to complete, the ADC Baramulla said that it may take further one week to furnish the report.
The only development that took place in between was that two police personnel were suspended who were escorting the youth when he, according to police claim, had allegedly fled and was later found dead in the Tujjar Sharief area.
(Syndicated feed from KDC)
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