J-K LG orders time-bound magisterial inquiry into Ganderbal encounter

Jammu, Apr 3: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry into the Arhama incident, where an encounter took place on April 1, 2026, resulting in the death of a youth of Ganderbal.

The Army had maintained that a terrorist was killed during a joint cordon and search operation, launched on a specific intelligence input in Arhama of Ganderbal district, during the intervening night of March 31 and April 1, 2026.

However, the family of the slain youth contested the claim stating that he was a civilian and had no terror links, triggering the demands from different quarters for a thorough probe into the incident.

LG Sinha, while ordering the probe, assured that the probe would ensure justice, after examining all aspects related to the incident.

District Magistrate (DM) Ganderbal, through an order by the J&K Home Department issued on April 2, 2026, has been asked to complete the inquiry, to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the death of youth, in seven days and submit the report to it (Home Department).

The Lieutenant Governor, himself, shared this information on his official ‘X’ handle, with a screen shot of J&K Home Department order to DM Ganderbal.   

“I have ordered a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry into the Arhama, Ganderbal incident. The inquiry will examine all aspects related to the incident and ensure that justice is served,” LG Sinha posted.

J&K Home Department in its order to District magistrate Ganderbal, while referring to “the encounter that took place at Arhama Ganderbal on April 1, 2026 resulting in the death of Raashid Ahmad Mughal, son of late Gull Zaman Mughal, resident of Chuntwaliwar Lar, Ganderbal”, said, “The issue has been examined and accordingly, you are requested to get a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry conducted into the matter to ascertain the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Raashid Ahmad.”

“The inquiry may be completed within a period of seven days and the report be submitted to the Home Department,” the order read.

Following the statements of the slain youth’s family, all Kashmir based political parties and their leaders including the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone, had demanded a transparent probe to bring facts to the fore.

Chief Minister Omar Andullah, who represents Ganderbal in J&K Legislative Assembly, raising this demand, posted on ‘X’, “I believe the claim of the family should not be dismissed out of hand. At the very least this encounter needs a transparent & time bound probe with the facts made public. Any attempt to obfuscate or delay the announcement of a probe will only damage credibility & that is not in anyone’s interest.”

The announcement of the probe has been welcomed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, PDP’s Iltija Mufti, BJP leader Sajid Yousuf Shah besides others with the hope that it will uphold justice and restore the people’s confidence.