KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
While terming the killing of militant Commander Burhan Wani as “extra-judicial execution”, a Srinagar based rights group – Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society – on Sunday said Indian armed forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police “have used excessive force” to thwart the mourners from protesting and participating in the funeral processions of the slain militants.
“So far, around 17 civilians have been killed in Islamabad, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts, while as more than 350 people have been injured from across all districts of the Kashmir valley,” JKCCS said in a statement this afternoon. “There are reports that CRPF and Police have been involved in the destruction of movable and immovable properties. Curfew has been strictly imposed in all districts of Kashmir, but people are defying the curfew at various places.”
“It is shocking and painful that Indian armed forces have yet again unleashed terror on the mourners and protesters, resulting in massive civilian casualties. The police and armed forces appear to have free hand to kill, injure, torture and destroy property. The government of India and Jammu and Kashmir lack the will to institute a crowd control policy, which can ensure no or minimized civilian casualties. On the one hand armed forces are preventing the injured to be ferried to hospitals, at the same time senior police officials without any credible investigations have begun to accuse the dead and the injured for their own bloodshed,” the statement said.
“Additional Director General of Police (CID), S M Sahai, yesterday in the press conference accused the protestors of looting the weaponry from the Police Station Damhal Hanjipora and then for using it against the police men. Government should reveal the names of those police personnel who were injured by the firearm used by the civilians and where are they being treated; otherwise Sahai’s claim is part of the regular government psy-ops,” the statement said.
“Besides the protesters, the CRPF and Police at various places have assaulted the patients and attendants inside the hospitals and ambulances. So far we have reports that Indian armed forces raided the Islamabad District Hospital, PHC Lalpora and SMHS hospital,” the statement said.
Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) is concerned about this “policy of attacking the ambulances and the hospital”. “These raids and assaults on the ambulances and inside the hospitals is not the first time. People in Kashmir have witnessed the same in 2008, 2009 and 2010 civil uprisings. Attacking hospitals and ambulances is a crime under the International Humanitarian Law and Indian armed forces have been repeatedly accused of this crime in Kashmir. There is absolute lawlessness and impunity enjoyed by the Indian armed forces and this must be condemned by the people of conscience in India and internationally,” the rights defender group said.
