The government has made it clear that it wants punishment for the personnel that kill innocents. Various investigations – magisterial and judicial – were announced. In the all party meeting on July 12, 2010, the participants (barring BJP) supported a resolution seeking an “independent enquiry” into the spate of killings that virtually set Kashmir afire. Appeals for fair investigations into the civilian murders came from a host of civil rights groups in India. Even Amnesty International made an appeal (July 3, 2010) seeking punishment to “any security personnel, as well as any protesters” involved in wrongdoing besides urging India to “avoid excessive use of force while dealing with demonstrators.” Here is the brief description of events and the follow up.
Machil Encounter
A criminal syndicate involving soldiers and their agents lured three Rafiabad youth – Mohammad Shafi Lone, Shahzad Ahmad and Riyaz Ahmad – to the LoC and handed them over to army. They were promised jobs but were killed in a fake encounter on April 30. Subsequent investigations led to their exhumation from Kalaroos graveyard and reburial in Nadihal. Police investigations, amid massive unrest in north Kashmir, led to the registration of FIR under sections 302 (murder), 364 (kidnapping), 120B (concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment) and 34 (act done with common intention) of the IPC. Charge sheet was submitted before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sopore against 11 personnel on July 17. These included former Commanding Officer of the 4 Rajput Rifles Col D K Pathania (attached by army), Majors Upinder Kumat and Maurya (placed under suspension) besides subedar Sadbeer Singh, hawaldar Bir Singh, sepoys Chandra Bhan, Nagendra Singh and Narendra Singh. Three civilians named in the charge sheet include counter-insurgents Bashir Ahmad Lone, Abdul Hameed Bhat and Territorial Army personnel Abas Shah who are in custody of the state police. Army has moved application before the court seeking custody of TA recruit for recording the statement, which has not been granted so far. Army has not given the custody of the accused to the police and it is working to manage the transfer of the case to the court martial. The State Government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the case and also taken up the matter with the Defence Ministry.
Tufail Matoo Murder
The only son of his parents, 17-year-old Tufail Matoo was killed on June 11, 2010 by cops when a tear-smoke shell fired from a close range broke his skull. A resident of Rainawari, Matoo was caught between cops and protestors near Ghani Stadium. Initially police termed it a mysterious murder but the autopsy established that he was killed by a tear-smoke shell. Police skipped even registering an FIR forcing parents to seek the help of the court on June 18. It was after two directions that the police registered a case of murder on July 17, 36 days after the death of the boy that stirred Kashmir.
Sopore Serial Killings
A group of protestors was accusing CRPF of killing a civilian (officially two militants were killed in the encounter) when the latter opened fire on June 25, 2010 killing two youth Shakeel Ahmad Ganai, 24, and Firdous Ahmad Khan, 20. Two days later, another group of youth was targeted killing Bilal Ahmad Wani, a PHE daily-wager. A day later, two more youth, Tufail Rather (minor) and Tajamul Bashir were killed in two separate incidents on the day separatists had called for a Sopore march. Police sources said they have registered cases in all the four cases – the first was crossfire, the second was attack on CRPF, and the remaining two were violation of curfew restrictions. In none of the four cases are the police involved. The government ordered a judicial probe by Justice (retd) Bashir-ud-Din, the SHRC chairman. He has made a visit to the area but is yet to start his job.
Danamazar Murders
CRPF caught Mohammed Rafiq Bangroo of Dana Mazaar and beat him ruthlessly on the day Tufail Matoo was laid to rest amid protests in the city. He was admitted in SKIMS with head injuries. He was kept on ventilator till he was declared dead on June 19. Next morning after he was laid to rest (not in Eidgah), a protest was fired upon killing his relative Javaid Ahmad Malla, an employee of a jute bag manufacturer. The government announced magisterial investigations through the Divisional Commissioner Srinagar but chief minister termed Malla suicidal and accused him of torching a CRPF vehicle. Outcome of the special probe is not known.
Islamabad Triple Murders
Identified cops led by an officer chased a group of youth in Anchidora Islambad. They allegedly caught hold of three of them – Ishtiyaq Ahmad Khanday, 15, Shujaat-ul-Islam, 18, and Imtiyaz Ahmad Itoo, 18 – and killed them inside a residential compound on June 29. Deputy Commissioner asked his aide Additional DC to conduct the probe into the killings. Police registered an FIR against “unidentified gunmen” for killing the three boys. On the basis of the interim report of the ADC, the government transferred as many as eight cops including an inspector, two sub-inspectors and five constables and attached them with the police headquarters.
July 6 Srinagar Murders
Muzaffar Ahmad Bhat went missing soon after Nasir Aslam Wani, a junior minister returned from Gungbug locality, triggering protests. Witnesses said he was detained and killed by police and dumped in a stream. His body was recovered on July 6 triggering another protest that was fired upon by police killing Fayaz Ahmad, a state government employee. While it was about to get buried, Fancy Jan was hit by a bullet and died. A small street protest in Maisuma killed Abrar Ahmad. Police have registered a case against IRP in Fancy’s murder.
Baramulla Murders
After a spell of stone pelting on July 17, police came in private transport and sealed the two ends of the Cement Bridge – a protest landmark that links the old with new Baramulla. Of the three boys on the bridge, one was reportedly rounded up and two others – from two ends – jumped in Jhelum to escape arrest. While Jan Mohammad Ahanger swam to banks, Faizan Rafiq Buhroo – a blacksmith’s seventh standard son knew no swimming and drowned. The body was recovered by marines, based in Wullar lake, on July 19 triggering a protest and a demand to shift the police officers, especially DySP. It was fired upon by CRPF killing Fayaz Ahmad, a groom of barely two-weeks. Police at district level is reshuffled.
