The Supreme Court has done well to condemn all fake encounters and prescribed the harshest punishment for the offenders. It is true that Jammu and Kashmir as well as the North East have been exposed to years of militancy and cross-border terrorism. This presents a serious threat to maintenance of law and order. This is especially true of J&K which has a very sensitive environment. No mistake on the part of the Security Forces can be overlooked. This perhaps explains why fake encounters sometimes take place. Recently there was one in Poonch. Such untoward incidents have to be condemned and the guilty have to be punished without delay. A jawan of the Territorial Army and a special police officer stand accused of perpetrating the cold blooded murder of an innocent civilian. The victim was mentally retarded and claimed that he had killed a Lashkar-e-Tauba commander. Why the two security men should target him is hard to understand especially as it was on false charges.
Of course, extra-judicial killings in J&K are not new and far from few in number. In 2006 and last year two killings were recorded and the victims had no clue about what was coming to them. These incidents are caused by the greed of some security personnel who expect quick promotion and rewards for their actions. Custodial deaths are not rare occurrences either. A businessman died in custody in Sopore. All this threatens the fragile peace that now prevails in J&K and is likely to foment separatism in that vulnerable state. It also applies to similar incidents in the North East.