Clean chit by a special investigation team (SIT) to the security forces in the Hyderpora encounter in which a Pakistani terrorist and three other persons were killed has triggered criticism of the administration by the Kashmir based political parties.

Four persons were killed in the encounter on November 15 when the police claimed that all the slain men had links with terrorism. The magisterial probe into the incident is yet to be made public but the police SIT has given a clean chit to the security forces although relatives of three killed civilians have claimed they were innocent.

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The Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) has demanded a judicial enquiry into the incident.

PAGD spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami in a statement said that the Alliance firmly believes that nothing short of a credible judicial probe will clear the doubts. The administration must, without any further delay, order a time-bound judicial probe. There is a strong public perception that the civilians killed in the incident were made human shields by the security forces and the latest statement of the police seems to be a “concocted cover up story”. it will not suffice the legitimate concerns of the people at large and the family of the slain victims, Tarigami said.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said; “SIT’s clear chit to armed forces in Hyderpora encounter isn’t surprising. It was purely a charade to cover up a botched up operation & absolve those culpable for killing innocent civilians. How can one expect justice when they  themselves are judge, jury & executioner?”

Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said; “Hyderpora probe on expected lines. One more addition to hundreds of ornamental probes Any victims of the past or of the future better ensure that they are not caught up in wrong place at the wrong time or even right place at the wrong time. Onus to save oneself is on the self”.

It is worth mentioning that the administration had last month exhumed bodies of two civilians killed in the encounter and handed these over to their relatives for re-burial.