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Jammu And Kashmir: Govt Jobs Given To Kin Of 3 People Killed In 'Staged' Encounter In Shopian

The three people were killed in Amshipura village in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 by Captain Bhoopendra Singh after he labelled them as 'terrorists'. The appointment letters were handed over to the family members of the victims.

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Government jobs handed out to the kin of victims killed in 'staged' encounter in Shopian, Jammu and Kashmir.(File photo-Representational image)
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Appointment letters for government jobs were handed over to the family members of the three victims killed in a staged encounter in Shopian district in 2020 by Captain Bhoopendra Singh.

https://www.outlookindia.com/national/amshipura-staged-encounter-army-court-recommends-life-imprisonment-for-captain-news-267804

Labelling the three as 'terrorists' Singh killed them in the Amshipura village located in the hilly areas of Shopian district on July 18, 2020. 

According to PTI, the letters were handed over on compassionate grounds by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at a ceremony here to Shareen Akhter, wife of Mohammad Abrar (a resident of Tarkassi, Kotranka); Mohmmad Arif, brother of Mohammad Imtiyaz, (resident of Dhar Sakri, Kotranka); and Farayaz Ahmed, brother of Mohammad Abrar of Kotranka, an official spokesman said.

A Court of Inquiry was constituted by the Army after doubts were raised over the killings. Reportedly the Court of Inquiry and Summary of Evidence found that the troops had "exceeded" powers vested under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).

General court-martial proceedings, which were completed earlier this year, recommended life imprisonment for Singh. The life sentence is subject to confirmation by higher army authorities, officials said.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had also constituted a Special Investigation Team which filed a charge sheet against three persons, including Singh, for "staging a fake encounter".

LG Manoj Sinha visited the families in 2020 and conveyed to them Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message that the government stood with the aggrieved families besides assuring them of complete support.

The identity of the three youths was subsequently confirmed through a DNA test. The bodies were handed over to their families in Baramulla in October 2020 and buried in their native village in Rajouri. 

The LG also handed over an appointment letter to Neeta Devi, widow of Chager Kumar of Dhandal of Ramnagar (Udhampur) who was killed in an IED blast in Udhampur in 2022, the spokesman said.

Sinha interacted with the family members of the deceased civilians and assured all possible assistance by the administration in the future.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh and Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar were also present at the event.