SHRC seeks report from govt, will inquire Pulwama incident
Srinagar: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Monday ordered the authorities to submit a detailed report regarding the circumstances that led to the killing of seven civilians in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district during the weekend.
Rights activist Ahsan Untoo told ‘Kashmir Vision’ that the Commission, in response to his complaint into the Pulwama killings, has issued an order asking the authorities to file a detailed reported before next hearing, which is scheduled on January 1.
“Notice along with a copy of the complaint to commissioner secretary Home Department, DGP JK, DC Pulwama and SSP Pulwama for submitting the factual detailed report in the matter by or before the next date of hearing,” the SHRC order reads.
The Complaint, in his petition, has alleged that “forces opened fire on protestors in Pulwama with an intention to kill.”
Ahsan said that forces have fired above the waist and the civilians who were killed had injuries above the waist,” he said.
While referring to the injured, he has said that “four civilians, who are battling for their life are also having injuries that are above the waist,” which, he said, “clearly indicates the intention of the forces to kill the protestors.”
Ahsan, said that he had also urged the SHRC to constitute a team to investigate the Pulwama incident, “an officer of DSP rank from SHRC has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer, and he too has been directed to submit a detailed report regarding the incident,” he said.
While referring to the incident of violence in mainland India, Bulanshahar, Ahsan said that there are other means at the disposal of the forces, where the protestors can be dispersed of peacefully, “for example, the recent episode of Bulandshar where protestors killed a police officer, but no force was used there.”
He has stated in his petition that he was informed by the local people “about the situation.”
“People narrated the ordeal of how forces used force against the innocent civilians without any provocation and forces personnel fired indiscriminately,” the petition reads.
Untoo, while demanding that immediate action was imperative, said otherwise “it will cause huge damage to the civil population of the Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Kashmir valley.”
Earlier, seven civilians died in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday when forces allegedly opened fire at a crowd that, as the police said, tried to storm the site of an encounter in which three militants and an Army man were killed.
Irfan Tramboo
