The Indian Army has found “prima facie evidence” that its personnel misused the powers conferred on them under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1990, during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district, according to a statement issued on Friday. Disciplinary proceedings under the Army Act have been initiated against the accused troops, it added.
The Army had launched a formal inquiry last month into the killing of three men by the armed forces on July 18. The family members of those killed had claimed that they were labourers, not militants, as labelled by the security forces. The Army had said it was recording testimonies of key witnesses and closely monitoring the investigation.
The accused personnel were also found in contravention of the do’s and don’ts of Chief of Army Staff as approved by the Supreme Court, the Army said in a statement.
“The…