'Don’t speculate': J&K SIT on Hyderpora shootout warn politicians

SRINAGAR: The J&K Police special investigation team (SIT) warned politicians and social media users on Wednesday of penal action if anyone is found making “speculative statements” after it cleared security forces of any wrongdoing in the November 15

Hyderpora shootout

on the outskirts of Srinagar that left a Pakistani terrorist, his local associate and two residents “used as human shields” dead.

Politicians, family members of the slain civilians and commoners took to social media after the SIT cleared the security forces of any blame on Tuesday. They suspected the probe team’s findings, prompting the SIT to issue the warning. “Several people have called the ongoing probe a 'concocted cover-up story,' 'ornamental probe,' 'clean chit to killers,' 'fairy tale of police,' etc,” SIT head and central Kashmir DIG Sujit Kumar said.

“Such speculative statements from political leaders have a tendency to create provocation, rumour, fear and alarm among the masses or a particular section of society,” he said. “This approach is against the law and may attract appropriate penal provisions.”

The probe is not over yet, the SIT said a day after it announced that a doctor and a businessman killed in the shooting were either used as human shields by terrorists or shot dead by them. The SIT also said Dr Mudasir Gul had harboured terrorists, while businessman Altaf Bhat had concealed information about their presence in his commercial complex.

The two men’s death had triggered outrage and widespread protests, with many calling the shootout a “staged encounter”.

According to the SIT, members of the public were invited to depose before an inquiry officer with whatever evidence they may have on the Hyderpora deaths. “All such persons making statements (on social media) should have approached the inquiry officer with genuine evidence for corroboration or contradiction of facts in the case,” Kumar said and asked people to come forward with “any evidence” since the probe is still on.