Srinagar: An encounter last month in Shopian in South Kashmir has come under the authorities’ focus. This happened after families in Rajouri in Jammu region filed a complaint with the Union Territory’s (UT) police about their missing members from the same area. This has prompted Indian Army officials to launch an investigation.
July 18, the Army claimed that three militants were killed in the higher reaches of Shopian. However, no further details were shared. Srinagar-based defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia issued Monday a brief statement. The statement said that the Indian Army has noted social media inputs linked to the operations at Shopian, July 18, 2020.
“The three terrorists killed during the operation have not been identified and the bodies were buried based on established protocols. The Army is investigating the matter,” the defence spokesperson said.
The relatives of three youths belong to Dhar Sakri village in Kotranka of Rajouri area in Poonch. They lodged a written missing report in the local police station after they lost contact with their kin July 17.
In their complaint, the families informed the police that they had last spoken to the three July 16. They also said that those missing were mainly involved in apple and walnut trading. They had also rented a room at Ashimpora in Shopian.
The same place was the site of the encounter the next day. Since then there was no report about the three, the families said in their complaint.