KL Report
SRINAGAR
The family members of two slain Nowgam youth who were killed by Army in cold blood in Chattergam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district earlier this monthWednesday alleged that Army is in a mood to hush up the case and even after the expiry of three weeks, Army has neither made its inquiry report public nor it has punished the guilty.
Two students Burhan Yousuf Bhat and Mehrajuddin Dar were killed and two others critically injured (Zahid Ahmed and Shakir Ahmed) after soldiers of Army’s 53 Rashtriya Rifles opened fire on a car in Chattergam area earlier this month. The killings had evoked massive protests and widespread condemnation from all walks of life while the Army after taking responsibility of killing of these two youth had claimed that in next ten days there will be a transparent conclusion of the case and people will also come to know about the punishment to the guilty.
Bashir Ahmed Bhat, uncle of one of the slain youth alleged that Army is shielding the ‘killer’ army soldiers and it has neither started an inquiry nor has taking the guilty to task. “Army had claimed that it will complete its inquiry in ten days and award punishment to guilty. I ask them where is their inquiry report. More than three weeks have expired and they (Army) are still maintaining silence to shield the ‘killer’ soldiers,” Bhat told CNS and threatened to come on roads along with other people in case army did not make facts to public.
The mother of the slain youth Burhan Yousuf alias Faisal demanded that guilty army soldiers should be punished without any delay. “My innocent son was just 15 who was slaughtered by Indian Army soldiers for none of his fault. I seek justice and stringent punishment to the guilty,” she said.
The family reiterated that it is not going to accept compensation from the army and neither they want rehabilitation. “I will not accept army compensation against my son’s blood, I will not take a penny from the killers of my innocent son,” Misra Banoo told CNS. Pertinently, Lieutenant General D.S. Hooda, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command had earlier said the Ministry of Defence has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh to the injured.
Meanwhile, an Army official told CNS that the GOC 15 Corps Command was out of station and soon the facts about the inquiry would be made public. He added that guilty can’t escape law and have to face the music.
