Kashmir Digits

A Territorial Army soldier was sent to Central Jail Srinagar in connection with 1996 Sadarkoot massacre in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

The accused identified as Ayoub Dar of Hakbara Sumbal was sent to Central Jail after 25 years of the massacre. He was Naik in Territorial Army and was evading arrest from past 25 years, a local news agency KNT reported.

Pertinently, seven unarmed civilians including two women and five men were gunned down by government-backed counter-insurgents infamously known as ‘Ikhwanis’ in the Sadarkoot village of Bandipora district 25 years ago on October 5, 1996.

Advocate Shafiq Bhat representing complainant Ghulam Qadir said that police presented the accused TA soldier Ayoub Dar in the court of Sessions Judge Muhammad Ibrahim Wani who after hearing arguments and counter-arguments sent Dar to Central Jail Srinagar to face trial.

Advocate said that there were three accused in the massacre. Dar was second accused in the case who has been brought to book. The first accused Wali Mir was sent to judicial custody by the court in March 2019 while the third accused Abdul Rashid Parray, alias Rashid Billa, a notorious government gunman, was shot dead by suspected militants near his residential house at Hajin on April 16, 2017.