JK High Court issues notices on ‘sailan massacre’ to J&K Govt, CBI

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued a notice to the state government and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the infamous Sailan massacre, a statement issued by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS) said Saturday.
The JKCCs statement said: “J&K High Court admitted a petition filed by the family members of the victims of the “Sailan massacre”. The high court petition seeks further investigations in this case after a CBI court in Jammu by its order dated 25 August 2017, accepted the CBI investigations that declared the victim families as being untruthful and sought closure of this case.”
“Notice has been issued to the government and CBI to respond,” it said.
“On the night of 3/4 August 1998, 19 civilians (13 female/6 male including 11 children) were shot to death at point blank range in their homes in Sailan village by 4 Special Police Officers (SPOs) and personnel of the 9 Para commando battalion (under the control of Major Gaurav Rishi), an elite commando unit of the Indian Army,” said the statement.
“Jammu and Kashmir police officers, including then Superintendent of Police (Poonch), J.P Singh, are also implicated in the crime and cover up.”
“Following inaction by the police, the families approached the J&K High Court in 2011 and on 21 November 2012 the CBI was directed to re-investigate the case. On 27 August 2015 the CBI filed a closure report before the CBI court,” added the statement.