Case against army officer for killing surrendered militant

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir police have registered a case against an Indian Army officer and some soldiers for allegedly killing a surrendered militant in a fake gun fight.

Aslam Malik, a former militant of Hizbul Mujahideen, was killed last month in a shootout in Gandoh village of mountainous Doda district.

But Malik's relatives alleged that he was shot dead by soldiers of 26 RR because they were angry as "he had surrendered before the police and not before the army".

Abdul Rehman and Irshad Ahmad, relatives of Malik told newspapers here that the deceased had surrendered before the police about nine months ago. They said militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen kidnapped Malik about two months ago but was freed after intervention of some locals.

The relatives alleged that Malik was killed by army as "vengeance for not surrendering before them".

The police on Wednesday registered an FIR No 52/2008 under section 302 against an officer of major rank and some troopers and have started investigations.

The army maintains it was not a staged shoot out. "Aslam Malik was killed when he was siding with militants," said an army official on condition of anonymity.

He said the army was investigating other ground realities about the gun fight "which was a joint operation with the state police".