A Jammu and Kashmir policeman keep vigil near encounter site in the Arahama area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Wednesday (April 1, 2026).
| Photo Credit: Imran Nissar
Jammu & Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday (April 3, 2026) ordered a magisterial inquiry into the Ganderbal encounter, in which the Army claimed to have killed a terrorist in an overnight operation on March 31-April 1, 2026.
“I have ordered a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry into the Arhama, Ganderbal, incident. The inquiry will examine all the aspects related to the incident and ensure that justice is served,” said Mr. Sinha, in a post on X.
The Jammu & Kashmir Home Department has issued an order to the District Magistrate, Ganderbal, to investigate the incident and has set seven days as a deadline to submit the report.
“The issue has been examined and accordingly, you (District Magistrate) 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 Mughal,” said the order.
According to the family, Mughal, son of Gull Zaman Mughal, a resident of Chuntwaliwar village of Ganderbal’s Lar, “was a civilian with no militant links”.
On March 31, a cordon-and-search operation was conducted at the forest area of Arhama by the Army’s 02 Assam Rifles, 24 Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF’s 49 Battalion and the J&K Police Ganderbal. The Army claimed one terrorist was killed in the encounter. It also claimed to have recovered one AK 56 rifle, three magazines and 67 live rounds and 58 empty rounds at the encounter site.
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who won elections from the Ganderbal constituency in 2024, on Thursday (April 2, 2026) demanded “a transparent and time-bound probe with the facts made public”. Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti had also demanded an inquiry into the incident.
Published – April 03, 2026 11:34 am IST
