JAMMU: Anger, panic and fear has gripped the remote areas of border districts of Rajouri and Poonch after the alleged custodial deaths of three civilians from Topa Mastadan village in Poonch on December 22, a day after five soldiers were killed in an ambush near Dera Ki Gali.
Gist of attack
Protests erupted over the alleged custodial killing of the three civilians identified as Safeer Hussain, 37, Mohammed Showkat, 26 and Shabir Ahmed, 32 – all three from the Gujjar tribe. The three were among several other people picked up by the Army from Topa Mastadan on Friday morning.
While the rest were released from the Army camp after being allegedly tortured, the bodies of the three slain civilians were handed over to their families late in the evening. Six more are injured.
Different reports, quoting locals, said that the number of people picked up was between 10 and 20.
The exact number of people picked up by the Army could not be verified. Internet and phone lines in the area have been shut. Locals in Rajouri alleged that several people had been picked up also from the Thanamandi area of Rajouri district and released after detaining them and allegedly tortured them at an Army camp.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and Member Parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah condemned the custodial deaths of three civilians in Poonch district. He demanded a fair probe into the death of civilians.
A tribal activist explained that the area of ambush is next to a vast forest area in which the assailants are believed to be hiding. The dense forest borders Topa Mastadan on one side and Thanamandi on the other.
Videos reportedly showing the torture of detained civilians spread online hours after their incarceration, triggering widespread anger.
Authorities cut off internet services on smart devices in Poonch and nearby Rajouri on Saturday morning. Locals in Rajouri said that even the phone lines were disrupted.
Senior police and civil officials visited the village and supervised the burials. Local officials said police would investigate the incident, in an attempt to pacify the villagers.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced compensation and jobs to the kin of the three civilians. But anger and panic has spread beyond the village, spiralling across the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. The exact amount of compensation to the families could not be ascertained.
“The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Bafliaz of Poonch District. The Medico Legal Case formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority. Government has announced compensation for each of the deceased. Further Government has also announced compassionate appointments to the next of kin of each deceased,” the Information & PR, J&K informed in a statement.
Poonch and Rajouri districts are part of the Pir Panjal region in the Jammu division which has witnessed a dramatic spike in militancy-related incidents in the last two years.
Four major militancy related encounters took place this year in which 20 soldiers, 10 civilians and 24 militants were killed.
The latest incident has triggered fear across Rajouri and Poonch. Locals, who spoke to the Kashmir Times, on conditions of anonymity said that the spike in militancy and the retaliation by the Army has reinforced the horrifying memories of the past.
A Rajouri based activist said that ever since the spike in insurgency in the region, “every incident is followed by a set of interrogation, torture and detentions of ordinary civilians by the Police. Some people are also detained under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) but the present incident is unprecedented. These civilians were taken to an Army camp, brutally beaten and killed.”
“People in the twin border districts fear that the atmosphere of the 1990s is returning with the return of the armed insurgency and the retaliatory counter insurgency operations. The innocent civilians, sandwiched between the two sides, have to pay a price,” he said.
Another activist said that the panic is gripping the area because people fear that innocents would be made the collateral damage again. “The manner in which the three youth were slain after being taken to an Army camp and the inability of the officials to even give a reasonable explanation enhances our fears,” he said.
Reactions to civilians’ death
The National Conference leaders and workers staged a large protest in Srinagar against the alleged custodial killings. They were stopped by the police when they tried to march out of their party office in Nawa-i-Subh building, but they raised slogans asking for “end to bloodshed of innocents.”
The protest was led by the party General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar. Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani Sogami, Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Political Advisor to Vice President Mudassar Shahmiri, Senior leader Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, Central Zone President Ali Muhammad Dar, Vice President Kashmir Ahsan Pardesi, Provincial President YNC Salman Ali Sagar, Women’s wing Sabiya Qadri, Provincial Secretary Showkat Ahmad Mir, In Charge Social Media Ifra Jan, Media, Social Media, YNC, Women’s Wing functionaries were also present in the protest.
The functionaries condemned the killings of three civilians allegedly by the army and demanded a thorough judicial probe into the incident.
Earlier, a resolution was unanimously passed by the party functionaries condemning the killings of five Jawans and injury to two others in an attack in Poonch. A resolution also condemned the killing of three civilians in Poonch in the aftermath of the attack.
Interacting with the media on the occasion, Sagar said, “We demand justice for the families of civilians who were killed in the aftermath of the Poonch attack. Killers of innocent civilians must be unmasked and booked. It is therefore incumbent upon the authorities to immediately establish a judicial committee which will investigate in a free and fair manner.”
Mehbooba Mufti, the region’s former top elected official, who was once an ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party, said the recent acquittal of an army officer in the killing of three civilians in a staged gun battle three years ago had “emboldened” the army, “creating a false precedent among the forces that they can operate without restraint.”
She appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene into the matter and bring facts to the public.
Addressing media persons here in Srinagar, Mehbooba said it is unfortunate that three civilians were allegedly killed by security forces in Poonch who earlier were beaten up mercilessly and then their bodies were thrown out on roads.
“First security forces beat up unarmed civilian mercilessly and then their bodies were thrown out on road. This incident needs indepth probe to bring truth to fore. Those involved should be brought to justice and we hope LG led government will intervene and ensure justice to the victim families,” Mehbooba said.
Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami demanded a prompt and impartial inquiry into the mysterious death of the three persons.
Another protest march was staged by Apni Party outside their party office in Srinagar. However, the activists were stopped from coming out of their office.
People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone on Saturday said that the loss of civilian lives in Poonch is a grim reminder to the “challenges that we still face” and the last three decades have been dotted with such heinous acts.
In a statement issued to KNS he said that non-combatants have paid a heavy price. “Let truth be told. In some cases, there was total denial. In some cases, cosmetic condemnation.”
Ambush of 2 Army vehicles
Suspected militants once again struck in Poonch district and ambushed two vehicles of the Army in between Dera Ki Gali (Rajouri) and Bafliaz (Poonch) Road near Sawani village late Thursday afternoon.
Five soldiers were killed while 2 others were critically injured in the attack around 3.45 PM on Thursday. The injured were shifted to the nearby Army facility for initial treatment.
“At approximately 3.45 pm on December 21, two army vehicles carrying troops were moving to the operational site, which were fired upon by the terrorists. The fire was immediately retaliated immediately and in the ongoing operation, own troops sustained 4 fatal and 3 non-fatal casualties,” said PRO Defence Jammu. One more soldier succumbs to critical injuries & the death toll is rose to five.
The deceased soldiers have been identified as Naik Birendar Singh, Naik (driver) Karan Kumar, Rifleman Chandan Kumar & Gautam Kumar while the injured include Sandeep Kumar, Shyam Sunder Das & Todmal Dnyaneshwar Bhaskarrav.
Offocial sources said that at least 6 terrorists were involved in the gruesome attack on Army vehicles Thursday.
The militants, who were in the ambush, reportedly first hurled grenades on the vehicles and then opened indiscriminate firing, which is evident from the damaged window panes of the Gypsy and the truck, blood on the road, broken helmets of the soldiers.
Unconfirmed reports also said that before leaving the attack site, the militants had also decamped with weapons and ammunition of a few soldiers.
It is pertinent to mention that Army, J&K Police along with Central Para Military Forces have launched several cordon and search operations (CASOs) in the border district of Rajouri & Poonch to flush out militants operating in these districts.
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