Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the killing of a man by the security forces in an alleged “fake encounter” in Ganderbal.

The inquiry will examine all aspects related to the incident “and ensure that justice is served”, said the lieutenant governor’s office.

The order came after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti raised questions about the incident that took place on Tuesday night.

The family of the man, Rashid Ahmad Mughal, who was killed by security forces, claimed that he had no links to terrorism, The Telegraph reported. The family had demanded an investigation into the matter.

On Thursday, Abdullah said that the claim made by the family should not be dismissed without consideration.

“At the very least this encounter needs a transparent and time-bound probe with the facts made public,” the chief minister said on social media. “Any attempt to obfuscate or delay the announcement of a probe will only damage credibility and that is not in anyone’s interest.”

Mufti on Thursday said that “there are allegations that it was a fake encounter”, PTI reported. “The Army first said he was a foreign militant, then they said he was a local linked to militancy,” Mufti was quoted as saying.

Senior Superintendent of Police Khalil Ahmad Poswal told The Indian Express that the police were verifying whether Rashid...

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