Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Tuesday directed the police to file chargesheet by the end of this month in Sadrakoot massacre of 5 October 1996.
 A bench of the High Court comprising Justice Hasnain Masoodi, ordered the Station House Officer, Sumbal, to file a chargesheet in the 5 October 1996 Sadrakoot massacre by 24th November.
In a statement, the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society spokesperson said that the court was hearing a petition filed by families of the victims of the massacre where seven civilians of three families including women and children were killed by government gunmen (Ikhwan) Abdul Rashid Parray alias Rashid Billa, Wali Mohammad Mir and Mohammad Ayoub Dar, then working for the army.
The petition sought investigations to be concluded on FIR no. 125/1996 in this case.
 The police officer has been directed to be present in court on this date.
“19 years after the massacre, the SHO informed the High Court that statements of five witnesses had been recorded under Section 164-A Cr PC before the lower court but sought more time to conclude investigations,” the spokesman said.
The High Court directed that investigations be completed and chargesheet filed in one week i.e. 24th November.
“Therefore, effectively, the accused Abdul Rashid Parray [alias Rashid Billa], Wali Mohammad Mir and Mohammad Ayoub Dar, must be arrested by 24th November,” the spokesman said.
The arrest of and chargesheet against Abdul Rashid Parray and his accomplices will be the first step in the struggle for justice and accountability in this case, the spokesman said. (KNS)