Pay Rs 2 lakh, hold inquiry into custodial death of student:J

Srinagar, May 7 (UNI) Directing Jammu and Kashmir government to pay Rs two lakh as compensation to the family of a class 10th student allegedly killed by the police after his arrest, the State Human Rights (SHRC) Commission has rejected its claim that the deceased was a militant informer.

The Commission also directed the government to investigate the custodial killing and book the guilty police officials involved in the crime.

The commission gave the order on a petition filed by Umer uddin resident of Khaned Morha, tehsil Ramnagar in Udhampur district.

The petitioner alleged that on November 5, 2000, the security forces and local police conducted a joint operation in the area.

Later, security forces entered his house, he said adding when they found no militant or any objectionable thing inside, two Special Police Officer Manzoor and Uresh Paul took away his son Mohammad Urfan Umer .

The petitioner said his son, who was to appear in the matric examination three days later, was tortured and later killed in a fake encounter.

The Commission rejected the police claim that the victim was an informer of the militants and was killed in an encounter.

The SHRC in its judgement said the inquiry conducted by the police was only to cover up the misdeeds of the accused SPOs.

Rejecting the police claim that Umer was killed in an encounter, the Commission said on the basis of evidence and statement of witnesses he was killed in a fake encounter.

It said the police report was not only one sided, blind folded but also a cover up for misdeeds of the local police, particularly two SPOs.

Rejecting the police report, the Commission recommended to the Government through chief secretary that a result-oriented inquiry should be conducted in the killing.

It also recommended a monetary relief of Rs 2 lakh to the victim's father and relief to his other son.

UNI BAS SK AS1405