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J&K fake encounter: Antony seeks report
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 9
Defence Minister AK Antony today took a serious view of an alleged fake encounter in which a civilian was killed on Sunday and passed off as top Lashkar-e-Toiba militant. He has directed the Army to submit a detailed report to him.

“The minister has directed the Army to submit a detailed report to him as soon as possible,” a senior Defence Ministry functionary said, adding that “as soon as possible” means “top priority”.

The incident in which a top LeT militant from Pakistan was said to have been killed was allegedly fake and the victim was a civilian.

Special Police Officer Noor Hussian and a jawan, Abdul Majid, who allegedly staged the killing of an unidentified mentally challenged civilian from Rajouri as part of a conspiracy to gain personal benefits, were arrested and have been booked for the murder.

It all started when the Army on Sunday claimed to have killed a Pakistani militant and divisional commander of Lashker-e-Toiba, Abu Usman, after a 12-hour gun battle at Surankote area of Poonch district in Jammu region.

However, during the probe it was found that the deceased was a civilian. It has led to a major embarrassment for the Indian Army.

The Army did a u-turn after claiming to have killed the “LeT commander” from whose possession they also recovered some arms and ammunition. They passed the buck to the arrested duo. “We were misled by these two men,” senior officials told the authorities here.