Srinagar
Kashmir Police on Wednesday while submitting its report to State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) with regard to the killing of Hurriyat Conference (G) activist Hakeemur Rehman Sultani of Sopore, stated that Sultani was killed by a group of militants of which one was already killed in an encounter with the forces.
According to the statement issued to media, the Hurriyat (G) activist, Hakeemur Rehmani Sultani of Reshipora was shot dead outside his home in Bomai Sopore on October 8 and on the same day, chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights (IFJHR) Muhammad Ahsan Untoo had filed a petition before the SHRC under petition number SHRC/303/BLA/2018 and that the Commission had issued notices to SSP Sopore and Deputy Commissioner Sopore.
In its reply filed before the SHRC,, the police stated that on October 8, the police station Bomai received a reliable information that a group of militants that include Liyaqat Ahmed, Abdul Majeed Mir, Abdul Gani Khawaja, Furqan Rashid Lone, and others had fired on Hakeemur Rehman Sultani at Bomia. The police reply reads that after the commission of a crime, the militants managed to flee from the spot leaving the person critically injured. However, he later succumbed at the hospital.
The police reply states that two militants involved in the murder of Hakeemur Rehman Sultan, identified as Liyaqat Ahmed and Furqan Rashid Lone were killed in an encounter with the forces on October 11 at Guloora, Handwara while as another one Adul Majeed Mir of Tujjar was also killed in Nowpora Tujjar on October 25. It says that efforts are on to identify the other militants involved in the crime.
The police reply also states that the deceased was aged about 43 years with educational qualification BSC and was affiliated with the Congress from 2002 to 2008 and later joined Hurriyat Conference (G).
Not satisfied with the police reply, the petitioner and the chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights (IFJHR) Muhammad Ahsan Untoo said that police statement is not gospel’s truth and that the incident needs a thorough probe by a High Court Judge as unidentified gunmen can’t be blamed for every civilian killings..
