The extra-judicial killing of two civilians triggered outrage is outrage in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, and calls for a probe.
Waseem Ahmad Mir, 32, A civilian truck driver, who was a resident of Sopore town in Baramulla district, was killed in a shooting incident by the Indian Army on Thursday.
The Indian army, however, claimed the victim tried to jump the check post before they opened fire.
Jammu and Kashmir police stated that the civilian truck driver was killed when the army fired at him “after speeding through the checkpost.”
Abdul Rashid Mir, a cousin of the slain driver, told Turkish News Agency, Anadolu over the phone that Mir was heading toward the capital, Srinagar, with a load of apple boxes when they heard about the incident.
“We reject these statements of police and Army. If they are truthful, let them share CCTV footage of the incident as they are claiming that there was a chase of 23 kms (14.2 miles),” Mir said.
He further added that his slain cousin’s clothes were “full of dirt," raising concerns that "he may have been subjected to violence and tortured before being killed in cold blood.”
One of the doctors at Baramulla Hospital told the Indian Express that the “nature of the injury suggested” Mir “was shot from close range.”
The second incident, where a civilian was allegedly tortured in police custody and later found dead on Thursday in the Kathua district of Jammu, identified as Makhan Din, 25, was taken into custody by police over alleged links to militants, which he denied.
“Authorities have ordered a departmental inquiry,” police said regarding Din’s death, urging people not to pay heed to rumors and to cooperate with the authorities.
Kashmiri leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Friday: “The unfortunate saga of extrajudicial killings and rights violations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir continues, as the perpetrators are never brought to book. This cycle will never cease until accountability is established and justice is delivered.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that he had ordered an inquiry and had taken up the matter with the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier, Mirwaiz called large-scale “arbitrary arrests” throughout Kashmir following the killing of a retired Indian soldier as “unprecedented.”
Unidentified gunmen opened fire on Manzoor Ahmad Wagay, his wife, and her niece in Behibagh village of southern Kulgam district on Monday.
Wagay, 45, died of gunshot wounds, allegedly targetted by LeT militants, triggering the mass arrest in the area where a conservative count is more than 500 people by police.
“Every such killing and causing injury to innocents is condemnable, but to target and detain hundreds of family members and relatives of those allegedly associated with militancy, because of their relationship, is harassment,” he said.
Iltija Mufti the leader of PDP on Sunday met the family of a youth who recently committed suicide after alleged torture by police over his suspected links with members of the armed opposition in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, party leaders said.
This comes a day after Iltija claimed that she and her mother Mehbooba Mufti had been placed under house arrest.
Makhan Din (25), a youth from the Billawar area of Kathua, ended his life by consuming insecticide at his home on Tuesday evening and recorded the act on a video claiming innocence. He denied any connection with terrorists, prompting separate probes by the police and the local administration.
Former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X, “Finally Iltija managed to reach Bilawer in Kathua to meet the bereaved family of Makhan Din, who was driven to suicide by police torture." “It's deeply saddening that she (Iltija) had to endure so many obstacles and travel like a fugitive just to offer comfort to the victim’s family. The ruling party has shirked responsibility conveniently attributing all issues to the Lieutenant Governor. However, as a responsible opposition PDP will always strive to reach out to the people to offer solace,” she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment