Machil fake encounter case: Five Army men get life term for gunning down three youths

Over four years after the Machil fake encounter, that fuelled widespread unrest in the Kashmir Valley, five army men including two officers were sentenced to life, for gunning down three youths, and labelling them as 'militants'.

The decision was welcomed by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on Thursday, as a 'watershed moment'.

Official sources said that the five army men, including the then Col D K Pathania, who was the Commanding Officer, and Captain Upendera, were held guilty by the Summary General Court Martial (SGCM), which sentenced them to life imprisonment.

The others held guilty were Havaldar Devinder, Lance Naik Lakhmi and Lance Naik Arun Kumar. Another accused, a Subedar, has been let off by the SGCM.

"The sentencing by the SGCM is pending confirmation from the confirmation authority after which the action would be considered legally complete," an army official said.

"This is indeed a very welcome step," Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted. "This is a watershed moment. No one in Kashmir ever believed that justice would be done in such cases. Faith in institutions disappeared.  "I hope that we never see such #Machil fake encounter type of incidents ever again and let this serve as a warning to those tempted to try," he said.

The incident came to light on April 30, 2010, when bodies of three youths were shown by Army as militants, who were trying to sneak into the Valley, from higher reaches of Machil in North Kashmir, with arms and ammunition.

It had later claimed that they were Pakistani terrorists.