Srinagar, Aug 29: The State Human Rights Commission has admitted a petition seeking a probe into civilian killings during the 2016 unrest in Kashmir and compensation for affected families. The Commission has issued a notice to the Director General of Police, directing him to submit a detailed report on the incidents.
The petition was filed by Centre for Peace and Protection of Human Rights through its Chairman, M.M. Shuja. In his plea, the petitioner stated that more than 75 civilians were killed in the Valley during the 2016 unrest due to bullets and pellets allegedly fired by armed forces.
Citing information received from the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, the petitioner claimed that 9,042 people sustained injuries from pellets and bullets. Of these, 782 suffered eye injuries, with many losing complete vision, while several others were rendered partially or permanently disabled.
“The respondent state by no standard can ignore or isolate the injured people who too are the victims in the same incidents. The respondent state appears to have acted with malafide and has deliberately and wittingly abdicated its constitutional responsibility to protect the lives of unarmed civilians,” the petition reads.
The petitioner urged the Commission to direct the state to frame a comprehensive rehabilitation policy for civilians who were permanently or partially disabled during the 2016 unrest and to have all incidents of violence investigated by a competent agency.
In the absence of its Chairman, SHRC member Jang Bahadur admitted the petition and issued notice to the Director General of Police for submission of details regarding the 2016 incidents. The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 24. [KNT]
