This refers to the report, “47 cops get life for 1991 Pilibhit fake Encounter” (April 5). The sentencing of 47 Uttar Pradesh policemen to life terms by a Central Bureau of Investigation court for the fake encounter killing of 11 Sikhs in Pilibhit is a reminder to the police forces and also to the Governments that the court of law is the final arbiter of justice in our country.
While this order should bring a closure to this case, the fact also remains that almost all of those who were killed in the fake encounter were terrorists of the Khalistan Commando Force.
While violence and encounters can happen when police face criminals with weapons, the number of times we have seen police forces resort to fake encounters against unarmed civilians, makes it imperative that each and every encounter killing is rigorously interrogated and the truth be brought out.