Jammu, Aug. 29: The army has ordered an inquiry into the allegation that four porters were killed last year in a fake encounter by soldiers who claimed they were militants.

The matter came to light when Meso Devi, the wife of Ram Lal ? one of the porters ? got an anonymous letter in Hindi, dated June 20, 2005, from “Aap ka sainik, insaniyat ka pujari (your soldier, believer in humanity)”. She handed it to her father in-law.

The letter alleges the army took four porters from a market in the Ranbir Singh Pora area of Jammu on April 12, 2004, promising them jobs in the Kupwara area of Kashmir.

The labourers were reportedly taken to Lolab Valley on a promised salary of Rs 5,000 per month. On April 20, they were taken to a place between the Markul-I and Markul-II mountains and shot dead at 8.45 am.

“Two labourers were buried there and the face of two others were so badly mutilated by shots that they could not be recognised,” said the letter. The bodies were handed over to police.

The four have been identified as Ram Lal of Lalyal village, Sat Lal of Mangu Chak village, Bhushan Lal of Chatha village ? all near Jammu ? and Ashok Kumar of Pathankot in Punjab.

The letter alleged the main accused in “this brute act were Major Vijay Chahar and Colonel Rahul Pandey”. The operation “was led by Major Chahar and others involved in the encounter were Naik Jai Singh, Rifleman Dilip, Jasvir, Adesh Kumar and Madroop Dhaka”, all from 18 Rashtriya Rifles posted in Lolab area of Kupwara.

The porters’ families went to the army with the letter but were allegedly not given a proper hearing till the matter appeared in the media.

Lieutenant General Hari Prasad, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, today said: “Usually the army does not take cognizance of an anonymous letter, but in this matter the army has taken note and ordered inquiry.

“Anyone found guilty will be severely dealt with.” The case was handed over to the police, he said.