Guwahati: Terming as fake an encounter by security forces in Dohikata Kadaldhowa reserve forest in Assam’s Goalpara district in 2009, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the state government to pay compensation to next of kin of five people killed in that incident.
‘The Commission, on the basis of the inquest, post-mortem and magisterial inquiry reports and other material on record had observed that this was an execution, not an encounter, and a criminal and grievous violation of human rights,’ a NHRC statement said.
The five men were killed in an encounter on June 20, 2009, in the Dohikata Kadaldhowa reserve forest in the state in a joint operation of Assam Police, Army and CRPF.
The deceased were identified as Allauddin, Sahjamal Hoque, Promtone Sangma, Jahangir and Salim Khan.
The NHRC report said the evidence from the post-mortems showed that the five men were shot from the back, not in an exchange of fire.
No attempt was made to establish, through the ballistics and forensics tests that are standard operating procedure for any efficient police investigation, that these men had handled or fired any of the weapons allegedly recovered from the site, it added.
‘Unconvinced by the explanations given by the Government of Assam, the Commission had recommended that it pay Rs 5 lakhs each to the next of kin of five men killed in a fake encounter,’ the NHRC statement said.
The state government has also been directed to send a proof of payment to the Commission. (UNI)