NHRC seeks more details on Shopian killings

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought further details over an alleged fake encounter by the Army in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir in April 2010, wherein Gul

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought further details over an alleged fake encounter by the Army in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir in April 2010, wherein Gulam Mohammad had died and four other civilians were injured.

The NHRC had issued notice to the Defence Secretary after considering a petition filed by human rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy to investigate the case and ensure human rights in the Valley. Gulam was killed allegedly by the personnel of the Rashtriya Rifles, who mistook him for a militant.

“Two of the injured are in critical condition. Army personnel killed Gulam Mohammed and injured four other civilians in a rampant fake encounter,” said Tripathy.

He pleaded that the commission should order an investigation into the incident.

He has sought adequate compensation for the dependents of the victims.

Hundreds of people took to the streets to protest against the killing. Four persons were injured as the Army troops opened fire to chase away the protesters, who had set ablaze two of their vehicles. Later, two other related cases were tagged with the case of Gulam Mohammad’s death.

The commission took cognisance of these complaints and called for a detailed report, including the magisterial enquiry report, postmortem examination report and inquest report within 10 weeks.

The Under Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi, had submitted a report as early as on August 20, 2010.

The report reads as under: “The matter has been examined by this ministry. It has been observed that the above mentioned complaint does not contain the name/ identification of the Army unit involved, date of the incident and location of the incident and the FIR details etc. The Army headquarters has informed us that they are unable to process the case without these details.” However, after one-anda- half years of submission of the report by the authority on December 29 last year, the NHRC decided to supply a copy of the report to the complainant for providing the name/identification of the Army unit involved, date and location of the incident and the FIR details etc. within four weeks latest by February 6 this year. This delay of oneand- a-half years shows the casual attitude of the NHRC to ensure the basic human rights, said the petitioner.

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