Assistant Commissioner, Jammu, Piyush Dhotra, has been appointed the inquiry officer to conduct the probe into the encounter which took place near police check-point at Sidhra on December 28

The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered a magisterial probe into the encounter in Sidhra area here in December last year in which four terrorists were killed.

Assistant Commissioner, Jammu, Piyush Dhotra, has been appointed the inquiry officer to conduct the probe into the encounter which took place near police check-point at Sidhra on December 28, according to an order issued by the additional district magistrate.

"I have been directed to conduct a magisterial inquiry and submit the report to the district magistrate, Jammu," Dhotra said in a notice on Wednesday.

The probe has been ordered in accordance with the guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission.

"In order to gather facts of the matter and to conduct inquiry in a fair and transparent manner, anyone having any information can come to the office and record his or her statement from Wednesday till January 21", the officer said.

Four heavily-armed terrorists, travelling in a truck to Kashmir after infiltrating from Pakistan, were killed in the "chance encounter" with security forces here.

Seven AK assault rifles, an M4 rifle, three pistols and a large quantity of ammunition were seized from their possession.

Courtesy: The Tribune India : 18th Jan , 2023