Reacting to The Indian Express report titled ``Government gives away relief package for `dead' families living in PoK'' on May 1, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 11 wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary, Home, J&K Government, and DGP to investigate the matter and report to the Centre.

After preliminary investigation, DGP Gurbachan Jadgat suspended Abdul Nasir Khan, then Station House Officer (SHO), Kupwara, and at present posted in the CID. Sources said prima facie guilt has been proved and it has been confirmed that the ``dead'' family is living in a Mohajir camp in PoK since 1990, as reported by The Indian Express. A head constable also involved in the fake FIR registration has already been suspended by the SSP, Kupwara.

The DGP has also ordered adepartmental inquiry. The SSP, Kupwara, has been appointed inquiry officer. The daily diary report (DDR) of Kupwara police station on March 8, 1997 says a family of six was killed due to Pakistani shelling on May 15, 1993. However, according to preliminary investigation, sources said there were no records of verification available in the police station and the police never visited the village to ascertain the facts. However, the police issued six death certificates.

Further enquiries by The Indian Express reveal that the two Deputy Inspector Generals (DIGs) of the Border Security Force (BSF) also wrote to the then Deputy Commissioner (DC), Kupwara, for sanction of ex-gratia relief in favour of Nazir Ahmad Mir -- ``next of kin'' of the family. He is a BSF constable posted in Kupwara.

Sources said L R Rana, then DIG, SQH, BSF, Kupwara, in his demi-official letter no ESTT/KS/WL/97 of March 14, 1997, to the then DC, Kupwara, mentioning ``an application submitted by constable Nazir Ahmad Mir, no.89310013 of this HQ that his father, mother, two brothers and two sisters have been killed by militants in their village, Shalbhato, Kupwara.'' Rana says the ex-gratia relief shoud be sanctioned in favour of the BSF constable.

Another letter, no. ESTT/KS/WL/97/2522 HQ K-Sector, BSF, on May 12, 1997, written by A Ranganathan, DIG, BSF, Kupwara, giving the reference of his predecessor, to the DC, Kupwara, says, ``The ex-gratia case is genuine as the entire family of the constable was wiped out and his house burnt down by the militants.