General Officer Commanding-in-Chief DS Hooda has confirmed the life sentence of six army men, including two officers, by court martial, for killing three Kashmiri youth in the Machil region of Kupwara district in 2010 and passing them off as militants.
The six army men were found guilty and sentenced to life on November 13, 2014 but confirmation from appropriate authority was awaited.
DS Hooda confirmed the court martial against Colonel DK Pathania, the Commanding Officer of 4 Rajput Regiment, the unit involved in the fake encounter, Major Upinder and four other personnel for killing Shezad Ahmad (27), Riyaz Ahmad (20) and Mohammad Shafi Lone (19).
The incident, according to a report in the Kashmir Reader, had sparked an agitation in the Kashmir valley, which left 123 people dead.
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