SRINAGAR: The family whose house was damaged in the September 17 encounter in Srinagar’s Batamaloo area has alleged that no militant was present inside when they were escorted out of the house by security personnel.
Police had claimed three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were killed in the gunfight. “We were brought out of the house at around 2.30 pm by security personnel after they had cordoned off the entire locality of Batamaloo in early hours of September 17,” said Abdul Majid Ganai, the house owner. He said when they were brought out, no outsider was present in their house.
“We, the family of seven members including I, my wife, three sons and two daughters came out of the house. After that, the policemen detained my three sons and beat them on the spot,” said Majid. He said they were taken to a nearby road and asked to stay there.
In the meantime, there was firing and security men rushed to the spot where a woman was killed. Majid’s house was partially damaged in the gunfight. Majid said his three sons continue to be in police custody.
But SSP, Srinagar, Haseeb Mughal said that the family can approach the local police if they have any grievances. “It was not a deserted house. His (Majid) sons were present in the house and were picked up by police,” he asserted.