Just as defence ministry has ordered fresh probe into Captain Sumit’s death, let it also investigate all fake encounters afresh
Fake encounter has been a regular form of human rights violations taking place in the valley for the past two decades. Incidentally, one of the flashpoints in the ongoing unrest was a fake encounter in Machil sector in which three youth were killed earlier this year.
Investigations have been ordered from time to time to look into the role of armed forces in the various fake encounters but without much headway so much so that such probes do not infuse much optimism among people now. Now in a significant development, mystery behind the death of an Indian Army captain has revived the ghosts of one of the fake encounter cases that took place in Lolab area of North Kashmir in 2004. On Tuesday Defence Minister, A K Antony ordered re-investigation into the mysterious death of Captain Sumit Kohli, heeding to the demands of his family that had maintained that it was a murder and not a suicide as claimed by the Army. Sumit, who was serving with 16 Rashtriya Rifles in Lolab, was found dead with gunshot wounds in his room in the military residential facility in April 2006. His family alleged that he was murdered because he knew who were behind the killing of four porters in a fake encounter in Lolab in April 2004. In August 2005 Army had ordered a probe into the allegation that its men killed four natives of a border hamlet in Jammu in a fake encounter claiming them to be militants to get gallantry awards. Whether the fresh investigation ordered by Antony will reveal the truth behind Sumit’s death remains to be seen, but it has a significant bearing on the Lolab fake encounter case as well. If it is indeed proved that Sumit was murdered as his family believes, it can blow the lid off of fake encounters which army managed to hush up, passing them off as genuine gunfights involving militants. It will be also worth seeing if the defence ministry proceeds to act against the culprits. If it does so there would be no justification not to hand out similar punishment to the culprits involved in other fake encounters. The defence minister was apparently moved by the representation from Sumit’s mother and ordered fresh investigation. Just as the young officer’s family has posed questions on Army’s role in his alleged murder, there are many families in the valley who have been living with the hope that someday the killers of their dear ones will no longer roam free. Let the defence ministry order fresh probes in all the fake encounter cases in the valley in which innocent people were killed to earn gallantry awards. Let it ensure that the investigations are impartial and exemplary punishment is handed to the culprits. This can serve as a valuable deterrent to those who use fake encounters in the valley as a short-cut medium to earn promotion and medals.
