The police on Tuesday hinted at inter-group rivalry as the possible cause of the killing of three militants, whose bodies were found in an orchard in north Kashmir on Monday, even as separatists have accused security forces of carrying out the “cold-blooded murders”.
The identity and motive of the killers, who had shot dead the three militants and abandoned their bodies in an orchard near Pattan town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, remains unknown as investigators are battling tense law and order situation and probing all possibilities.
It took the police several hours on Monday to establish the identities of the three men, all of whom were found affiliated with a militant faction which had rebelled against Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir’s oldest militant outfit.
Inspector General of Police S J M Gilani today said the investigation was still to get initiated as the police were busy tackling the law and order situation that has arisen after the recovery of the militant bodies.
Gilani, however, said “all indications” suggest the killings are a result of an inter-group rivalry. “It appears to be inter-group rivalry but it is still early to say that. However, all indications point towards that,” he said.
However, separatist groups accused the security forces of killings, saying the “hand of the government forces” cannot be ruled out. Hardline Hurriyat faction’s chairman Syed Ali Geelani said the police statement about the killings being a result of inter-group rivalry was a mere “guess”.
“There can be small differences and arguments between the Mujahideen (militants) but they cannot go to this extent and they can’t be so brutal,” Geelani said.
Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front’s Yasin Malik have called for a Kashmir-wide shutdown to be observed on Wednesday against the “cold-blooded murder” of the three militants. The three slain militants have been identified as Amir Reshi and Naveed Sheikh of Baramulla’s Sopore sub-district and Ashiq Wani of Lolipora village of Pattan.
Sources in the police said that at least one of them, Naveed Sheikh, was involved in the killing of hardline Hurriyat faction’s activist who was assassinated in June this year in Sopore town on allegations of being an informer for security agencies.
The sources said Amir Reshi’s name had figured in a recent weapon snatching incident in the Tujar area of Sopore.
The identity and motive of the killers, who had shot dead the three militants and abandoned their bodies in an orchard near Pattan town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, remains unknown as investigators are battling tense law and order situation and probing all possibilities.
It took the police several hours on Monday to establish the identities of the three men, all of whom were found affiliated with a militant faction which had rebelled against Hizbul Mujahideen, Kashmir’s oldest militant outfit.
Inspector General of Police S J M Gilani today said the investigation was still to get initiated as the police were busy tackling the law and order situation that has arisen after the recovery of the militant bodies.
Gilani, however, said “all indications” suggest the killings are a result of an inter-group rivalry. “It appears to be inter-group rivalry but it is still early to say that. However, all indications point towards that,” he said.
However, separatist groups accused the security forces of killings, saying the “hand of the government forces” cannot be ruled out. Hardline Hurriyat faction’s chairman Syed Ali Geelani said the police statement about the killings being a result of inter-group rivalry was a mere “guess”.
“There can be small differences and arguments between the Mujahideen (militants) but they cannot go to this extent and they can’t be so brutal,” Geelani said.
Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front’s Yasin Malik have called for a Kashmir-wide shutdown to be observed on Wednesday against the “cold-blooded murder” of the three militants. The three slain militants have been identified as Amir Reshi and Naveed Sheikh of Baramulla’s Sopore sub-district and Ashiq Wani of Lolipora village of Pattan.
Sources in the police said that at least one of them, Naveed Sheikh, was involved in the killing of hardline Hurriyat faction’s activist who was assassinated in June this year in Sopore town on allegations of being an informer for security agencies.
The sources said Amir Reshi’s name had figured in a recent weapon snatching incident in the Tujar area of Sopore.
