5 years on cops who killed 3 boys in courtyard roam scot free

Five years after the Magisterial Inquiry  indicted police officials of killing three teenagers  in the compound of a residential house at  Anchidora here and subsequent directions of  Home Department to act on it, the families of three teenagers say that guilty cops were never punished and instead elevated to top positions.

Shujat-ul-Islam 17,  Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday, 15 and Imtiyaz Ahmad Itoo, 17 were killed by police in cold blood in the compound of a house in Anchidora area of Islamabad town while they were chasing the protesters on June 29 during the 2010 summer unrest. Three other  civilians – Nazeer Ahmad of nearby Anzwala village , Zahid Ahmad son of Muhammad Sayeed of New Qazibagh area of town  and a 10 year old child, Suhail Ahmad son of Javaid Ahmad Bhat of Anchidora had also received bullet injuries in the incident

After massive public outrage the government had ordered a magisterial enquiry into the incident and appointed Assistant Commissioner Revenue as the inquiry officer while  police conducted its own investigation and constituted a Special Investigating Team. The police had in its preliminary report claimed that the trio were killed by un-identified gunmen. However, the magisterial inquiry in its report indicted two Sub Inspectors and three constables.

The Home Department also decided to act on the Magisterial Inquiry Report (MIR) conducted by the then ACR and sought the inclusion of the names of four accused police persons including two Sub-Inspectors in the First Information Report (FIR) but  later only a constable was booked, and accordingly murder charges were framed against him by the local court.

“The other accused police persons including two Sub-Inspectors were only transferred and are posted at different places,” says the family. They said that these police officials have been elevated to top positions.

The commission of Inquiry (COI), headed by Chairman SHRC Justice Syed Bashir had also directed the police to carry out identification parade of all the suspected cops but that never happened.

The principal district and sessions court, Islamabad on March, 20  2011 after framing the murder charges against one of the cop, Constable Nisar Lone directed the then Inspector General of Police (IGP) to carry further investigation into the case himself keeping in view the material available against the suspected police officials and submit its report within one month but the report was never filed.

The court had also observed that police had carried out investigation in casual and faulty manner and held that there were sufficient grounds for framing the charges against accused constable. However, later he was bailed out for lack of sufficient evidence.

“ Even then chief minister, Omar Abdullah had admitted on the floor of the assembly that the police action was uncalled and had vowed to bring the culprits to book, but later the case was hushed up,” say the family members.

However, the family, members maintain that they do not have any expectations of justice.

Bataloo Banoo, a widower and mother of Sujat ul Islam says, “ I cannot forget the day when my son was murdered but I never expected nor do I have any hope of justice from this system- whatsoever government is in power”. She added that she has never pleaded for justice.

She said that Sujat was very much like his father in every aspect- pious, down to earth with command over Koran and Islamic literature.

Sujat’s father Muhammad Ashraf Baba , a known preacher  who was running a Madrassa in Anchidora locality was shot dead in 1996 by government gunmen. “I am proud to be both mother and wife of martyrs,” says Batoola.

Ahmadullah Khanday,  a cab driver,  whose lone male child, Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday –  a class 10th student was also shot dead says: “ Though the government knows the culprits but instead of punishing them they have been awarded with promotions.. So, I have lost all hope of  justice”

He said : “They killed my son inside the compound of our house. He had gone to bring bread. I cannot forget that fateful day. I know that the killers would never be punished but nobody can save them from God’s wrath”

He said that opposition political parties back then raised a lot of hue and cry terming it a cold blooded murder but in power now they have forgotten everything.

Imtiyaz ahamed Itoo, 17, from nearby  Watergam- Dialgam village was also among those who fell to the bullets.

‘It was in 2002 when Imtiyaz first came to SK colony in Islamabad town in search of work and started working at a bakery shop,” recall the residents of SK colony describing him as a very hard working child.

“He would always exchange greetings with his customers and was dear to everyone in the locality ,” recalled the residents. They said that Imtiyaz was supporting family consisting of his ailing parents as his other siblings were living separately.

Recounting the horror, the residents of Anchidora and adjacent SK colony locality say that they can never forget the fateful day.

“This killing didn’t take place in the dead of the night.  It was a murder which we and our children saw and we will never forget it and never ever forgive those who have committed this murder,” they say.

They say that those who committed this heinous crime are roaming free while those including family members who protested this incident were booked under various charges.