The India government should avoid excessive use of force while dealing with demonstrators in the Kashmir valley, officials from international NGOs like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said this week. Since January this year, 33 civilians have been killed by the Indian security forces.
At least 18 people, many of them teenagers, were allegedly killed during a crackdown on protests that began on 11 June 2010. But the unbated killings started long before the protests began in January this year. On 8 January, 16-year-old Inayat Khan became the first victim of this renewed military crackdown. Khan, a student had just passed his SSC exams with excellent marks, and was on his way to class in Srinagar when he was shot by troops. At his funeral, chants of ‘Inayat tere khoon se inquilab ayega’ (Inayat, your blood will bring revolution) reverberated in the air. Little did the mourners know that this was to be the first of many such funerals in the coming months. Yet in one way, the funeral incantations were prescient: the killings have increased the sense of both helplessness and rage felt by much of the local population towards the security forces – seen by many as occupational forces. In turn, this anger has led more and more onto the streets to demand justice for the dead – demands backed by the commoner’s weapon of choice, stones. Excessive use of force on stone-pelters further aggravated the death count in the following months in all the parts of the Valley. During crossfire during a grenade attack in Sopore, the police shot civilian Parvaiz Ahmed who had sustained bullet injuriy in the abdomen was brought dead to the hospital on 15 January. On January 24, in Shadimarg, 55 km south of Srinagar, Mushtaq Ahmed Mir was used as a human shield by the army during a search operation against suspected rebels. On 31 January, Wamiq Farooq (13) was shot at the Gani Memorial Stadium in downtown Srinagar, where he was playing cricket. While chasing protesters, the police entered the stadium and fired a teargas shell that hit Farooq at close range, killing him instantly. Though the concerned assistant sub-inspector of police was subsequently suspended – ‘for not having taken adequate precautions while firing a tear smoke shell towards protesters’, according to the official explanation – the police force subsequently took a complete u-turn, dubbing Wamiq ‘a miscreant who attempted to murder a policeman’ in a report filed in court on 20 February. Five days later, on February 5, Zahid Farooq (16) was killed by a Border Security Force (BSF) patrol in Braine not far from his residence on the Srinagar outskirts. Though the BSF initially denied any role in the murder, it later suspended a BSF commandant and a constable Commandant R K Birdi, Constable Lakhwinder Singh for the teenager’s killing. Both of the accused are currently on trial. Over the last month, a total of 11 persons, at least eight of them children between 13 and 19 years old, were killed in shootings by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) paramilitary personnel stationed across the Kashmir valley, as protestors defied curfew regulations, held violent demonstrations and often clashed with the security personnel in Srinagar, Sopore and other towns which were put under curfew. As the pace of the murders picked up, so too did the need to downplay the incidents. On 13 April, Zubair Ahmed Bhat (17) – a student from Sopore who worked in Srinagar as a part-time labourer – was sitting on the banks of the Jhelum River with his friends. Suddenly, a group of paramilitary personnel came upon him and forced the entire group to jump into the river. While most could swim, Zubair struggled. Some boatmen passing by attempted to rescue him, but the troops fired teargas shells at them and Zubair drowned. But the police closed the file, labelling it ‘an accident’ – seemingly wilfully ignoring the eyewitness accounts. There have been several other cases, too, of senseless slaying, including troops even firing on funerals for the victims, resulting in the deaths of close relatives of the deceased. Indeed, for locals it has seemed that, over the past six months, just as they have begun to mourn a death, news of yet another death had reached them. On April 24, Ghulam Mohammed, father to nine children, was shot in Kellar, 60 km south of Srinagar by the Indian army. Further complicating the simmering tensions was news of fake encounters of three youth by the Indian Army. On 29 April, three youths, Muhammad Shafi Lone (23), Shehzad Ahmed (27) and Riyaz Ahmed (22) all residents of Nadihal Rafiabad were lured by counter-insurgents and Territorial Army personnel up to the Line of Control in Machil sector, on the pretext of employment. The following day, troops with 4 Rajput Rifles, a unit of the Indian Army, were said to have killed them in a staged encounter. The police later arrested two counter-insurgents and a member of the Territorial Army, all three of whom are currently in custody. For its part, the army quickly constituted a Court of Inquiry headed by a senior army officer, and the leadership suspended a major and a commanding officer of the 4 Rajput Rifles unit. On 11 June, 17-year-old Tufail Ahmed Mattoo of Srinagar was killed, according to initial reports, by a teargas shell fired by the police at the protestors. However, later reports said he was shot in the head. On 19 June, a Srinagar court has directed the state police to investigate this killing and submit its report by 28 June. On 20 June, as protests over the killing of Tufail Ahmed Mattoo turned violent, a 24-year-old carpet weaver of Srinagar, Rafiq Ahmed Bangroo, sustained serious head injuries and went into coma. He died on 19 June at the hospital. Some reports suggest that he was beaten by the CRPF personnel during the protests. The next day witnessed further protests over the death of Bangroo, as youths returning from his funeral attacked a CRPF post and attempted to set fire to a CRPF armoured vehicle. A 19-year-old relative of Bangroo, Javed Malla, was killed in the CRPF firing. On 25 June, Firdous Ahmad Kakroo and Shakeel Ahmad Ganai (24) were killed as the CRPF personnel fired at demonstrators demanding the bodies of two armed guerrillas killed by the security forces near the Sopore town, 55 km from Srinagar. Eyewitnesses had reported that the demonstrators set fire to the CRPF commanding officer’s vehicle and attacked a security bunker. The authorities claimed that the two were armed guerrillas with close links with Lashkar-e-Toiba and the CRPF claimed that it had fired in self-defence. On June 27, in Sopore, 22-year-old Bilal Ahmed Wani was killed as the CRPF personnel fired to quell protestors repeatedly defying curfew. On 28 June, in the south Kashmir town of Baramulla, Tauqeer Ahmed Rather (11) and Tajamul Ahmad Bhatt (17) were both shot dead by troops. Following this, the army moved into the area, and Baramulla has been under curfew ever since On June 29, three protestors, Ishfaq Ahmed Khanday (15) class tens tudent of SK Colony, Imtiyaz Ahmed Itoo (17) bakery shop worker and 17-year-old Shujatul Islam, class 12 student – were shot dead in Anantnag district. While the initial reports said they were killed in firing by the CRPF, later reports suggested that they had been initially detained and then killed. On July 6, in Srinagar, four people were killed. Abrar Ahamed Khan (16) was shot in Maisuma by the police. Muzafar Bhat (17), was picked up from his home in Tenpora bypass by the CRPF and drowed to death on July 5. In Maisuma, Fayaz Ahmed Wani (27) of Tengpora, father of two girls, was shot in his throat at the funreal of Muzafar Bhat. On the same day, Fancy Jan (25) from Batamaloo was shot while she was at the window putting up curtains in her home. On July 17, Faizan Ahmed Buhroo, a seventh class student of Guru Nanak School and son of a blacksmith. drowned after being beaten by Special Operation Group personnel of police in north Kashmir’s Varmul town in Baramulla. His body was retrieved from the river Jehlum at Chattipadshahi Bridge at around 5 pm. After the body was recovered, thousands of people took to streets in the town raising pro-freedom, anti-India and anti-police slogans. Carrying the body on a stretcher, people marched on the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad road demanding action against the SOG personnel Tanveer Ahmed alias Kaka, whom they blamed for the drowning of Faizan during clashes on Saturday in Azad Gunj area. On July 19, Fayaz Ahmad Khanday (24), a newly-wed youth who worked as a waiter, was shot when security forces opened fire at a funeral procession of Buhroo, another boy who was drowned when the security forces chased a stone-pelting mob on Saturday. Police sources said the body was fished out on the same day. When the funeral procession reached near the district commissioner’s office, the mourners turned violent, prompting the security forces to open fire. Of the 13 people injured in the incident, one died. “Fayaz Ahmad Khanday received a bullet in his chest and was declared dead. Another, critically injured, youth was shifted to hospital in Srinagar,” MS Nanda, medical superintendent of District Hospital, Baramulla, said. On July 30, two persons were killed and over 10 injured in Central Reserve Police Force firing in north Kashmir's Sopore district. Reports said, two youth were killed and six persons received bullet injuries when paramilitary CRPF and Railway Protection Force Personnel (RPF) opened fire on a group of protesters at Amargarh in Sopore after the Friday prayers. The two slain youth have been identified as Showkat Ahmad (22), son of Abdul Majeed and Mohammad Ahsan (55), both residents of Amargad on the outskirts of Sopore town. On July 30, Rafiq Ahmad, a resident of Pattan, was killed and at least 15 people were injured in Pattan, where Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the police allegedly went berserk and opened fire inside the Pattan sub-district hospital, north Kashmir. An eyewitness said, "Rafiq was shot in the chest and he died on the spot." On the same day, an injured protester from north Kashmir's Sheeri Baramulla succumbed to his injuries late Friday, sources at the SKIMS hospital Soura said. 32-year-old Nazir Ahmad, a baker by profession, had received a bullet injury in chest when police and CRPF troops opened fire on protesters in Pattan during a demonstration against the killing of two civilians in Sopore. Mudasir Ahmad, a 20-year-old youth was killed and at least seven persons injured when paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troops opened fire on protesters at Naidkhai Poshwari village in Sumbal area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district on July 31. On July 31, Javed Ahmad Teli, a youth who was injured during clashes with the police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Forces in north Kashmir's Baramulla district succumbed to his injuries at the SK Institute of Medical Sciences in Soura, Srinagar. 33 CIVILIANS SO FAR On August 1, in Pampore *Nayeem* Ahmad Shah (19) and *Rayees* Ahmed Shah (24), a resident of Kadlabal were shot while protesting. Meanwhile, 17-year-old *Afroza* died of a gunshot in the neck when police and CRPF men fired on protesters in Namon village of south Kashmir's Khrew area. Relatives said she was standing by her door, witnessing the protests. On the same day, *five* *youth* were killed and ten others injured when the ammunition stored inside Khrew police station in South Kashmir exploded as angry protesters set ablaze the building late Sunday. One of the slain youth has been identified as *Javed* Ahmed Shiekh from Uyan village near Khrew. On August 2, *Muhammad* *Yaqoob* * Bhat*, 22, was killed when the police and the CRPF troops opened fire on protesters in Noman village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district Monday afternoon. was allegedly shot dead by Station House Officer (SHO) Kakpora, Niyaz Ahmad at point blank range this afternoon. Yaqoob was rushed by locals to the Public Health Centre Newa, where doctors declared him brought dead. A 20-year-old youth injured in police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) firing at Bijbehra in south Kashmir’s Islamabad district on Saturday succumbed to his injuries at the SK Institute of Medical Sciences here at Soura early Monday morning. The slain youth has been identified as *Tariq Ahmed Dar* son of Farooq Ahmed Dar from Simthan in Bijbehara. *Khursheed Ahmed War* (22), son of Muhammad Maqbool War, resident of Shumnag, Kupwara, was killed while six others were injured Monday, when paramilitary CRPF troops and Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel of the police opened fire on protesters who allegedly tried to attack a SOG camp in Kralpora town of Kupwara district in north Kashmir. *Aashiq Hussain Bhat*, a 14-year-old boy was killed and six others were injured in the clashes between the protesters and the troopers in Kulgam on August 2. The deceased identified as, son of Ghulam Hassan Bhat, resident of Wachiepora area of Kulgam district. The student of ninth standard, Ashiq received bullets in his shoulder and thigh and died en route to Srinagar for treatment. The ambulance, which carried Ashiq was also fired upon and the driver was beaten up, said an eyewitness. A man named *Basher* Ahmed Rishi, son of Mohammed Ismael Rishi from Wechei area was allegedly shot dead by a local policeman. The 44-year-old man was then thrown into a nearby stream from the Sangam bridge. Another teenager *Arshid* Ahmed son of Mohd Abdullah of Reshipora, Awantipora was also killed in Sangam. Eyewitnesses said, "Arshid's body bore torture march and there was no injury mark caused by a sharp metal." August 2, Sheikh Dawood Colony, in Batmaloo is in ferment following the killing of a 9-year-old-boy, identified as *Sameer Ahmad Rah* son of Fayaz Ahmad Rah of the same locality, allegedly beaten to death by paramilitary forces.* * 49 killed so far On August 3, *Meharj-ud-din* of Qamarwari was shot at 10 am by security forces on Tuesday. He had received a bullet injury in his chest and had died on way to SMHS hospital. Four others have been injured. While the people were mourning the death of the Qamarwari youth, CRPF troops and policemen shot dead a teenager Anees Ahmad, son of Khurshid Ahmad Ganai outside his Narwara residence in Eidgah area of Old City. According to reports and eyewitnesses, youth were holding demonstrations in Dangerpora locality of Narwara when troops and police opened random fire upon them. 17-year-old *Anees*, who received a bullet in his abdomen rushed to the nearby SMHS hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Anees’ body was taken in a procession to the historic Jamia Masjid. Thousands of people defied curfew and attended the teen’s funeral prayers as the Old City reverberated with pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Hours later CRPF and police opened fire in Shalteng area on the city outskirts injuring nine people, one of them critically. The youth identified as *Suhail* Ahmad (16), son of Mohammad Yasin Dar of Zainakote was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition. Suhail later succumbed to his injuries. A youth was killed and fifteen others injured when CRPF troops and police opened indiscriminate fire on hundreds of protesters near Frisal area of Kulgam district this afternoon. The slain youth has been identified as * Jehangir* Ahmad, 22, son of * Mohammad* Yusuf Bhat of Chingam. Three of the critically injured persons have been rushed to Srinagar hospital for treatment. 25-year-old *Reyaz* Ahmed Bhat from Khrew in South Kashmir succumbed to his injuries at the SK Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura Tuesday afternoon. Bhat was critically injured during clashes with the police and the Central Reserve Police Force on Sunday in Khrew. 55 so far -- Adv Kamayani Bali Mahabal +919820749204 skype-lawyercumactivist "After a war, the silencing of arms is not enough. Peace means respecting all rights. You can’t respect one of them and violate the others. When a society doesn’t respect the rights of its citizens, it undermines peace and leads it back to war.” -- Maria Julia Hernandez www.otherindia.org www.binayaksen.net www.phm-india.org www.phmovement.org www.ifhhro.org -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "humanrights movement" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/humanrights-movement?hl=en.
