Srinagar, Jan. 31: As Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today ordered a judicial probe into the alleged killing of a civilian by police, ally People’s Democratic Party expressed fears that about 1,100 missing persons may have met a similar fate.

The fake shootout death of carpenter Abdul Rahman Padder is snowballing into a major issue with Azad coming under pressure from both the Opposition and members of his coalition to investigate other such cases.

Two policemen have been arrested, two senior officers attached and four more cops detained for questioning so far. A team of forensic experts from Chandigarh is expected soon to collect DNA samples from the presumed grave of Padder.

Under fire from the Opposition in the Assembly, Azad today announced a time-bound inquiry by a high court judge. Earlier, the government had directed Farooq Ahmad, DIG, central Kashmir, to probe the incident.

Azad said three other cases of disappearance from Anantnag district — of Nazir Ahmad, Ghulam Nabi and Mohammad Yaqoob Mir — would be probed.

“Whosoever attains (militant) training and gets weapons to target us will not be forgiven. Those who kill them deserve awards,” he said.

“But those who kill innocents will not be spared,” the chief minister added.

The decision was taken after both Houses of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were repeatedly disrupted by protests against the “growing fake encounters” in the state.

With the Opposition National Conference seeking a separate discussion on human rights violations, the Assembly had to be adjourned twice after its members stalled proceedings. “Punish the guilty,” they shouted.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today returned from New Delhi and rushed to Padder’s home village in Anantnag. She feared the hundreds that had gone missing may have met a similar fate.

“As per the recent reports appearing in the press, there are scores of unclaimed and unnamed graves in various parts of the state and the people have the right to know who are lying buried there,” she said.

“According to official records, the whereabouts of around 1,100 persons who have gone missing during the militancy in the state are not known.”

Mufti said the killing of Padder was a blatant misuse of power and position. “Such acts could be a great setback to the ongoing peace and reconciliation process.”