In Jammu & Kashmir, 6 armymen were sentenced to life imprisonment by a General Court Martial of Army after concluding inquiry into the Machhil fake encounter staged on 30th April 2010. The incident had triggered public outcry in Kashmir after relatives of slain youths from north Kashmir had rejected the allegations against the youth being connected with militancy. Over 100 youth had been killed in 2010.<br/><br/>A spokesman of the Army's Udhampur-based Northern Command, Colonel S.D. Goswami told AIR that General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda confirmed the sentence of a Summary General Court Martial in the Machil fake encounter case. Colonel Dinesh Pathania, Captain Upendra, Havildar Devendra Kumar, Lance Naik Lakhmi, Lance Naik Arun Kumar and Rifleman Abbas Hussain have been awarded life imprisonment.<br/><br/>In April 2010, the Army had claimed killing of three militants in Machil sector on the Line of Control in Kupwara district during an infiltration bid. Police investigations later proved the three civilian youths from Nadihal Rafiabad in Baramulla district, were lured with promises of jobs and taken to the line of Control where they were killed in a fake encounter for money and rewards. <br/><br/>The Army later ordered a general court martial that found six Army personnel guilty and now sentenced to life imprisonment. National Conference spokesman Junaid Azim Mattoo while welcoming the punishment, told AIR that Machhil fake encounter was a precursor to 2010 public agitation in Kashmir. He said the kith and kin of the victims will feel justice having been done to give them a little solace.