Srinagar, Aug 20: Though the state cabinet last month constituted the Commission of Inquiry ‘to look into the killing of 17 civilians in police and CRPF action during the past two months,’ the government is tight-lipped over the fate other 45 killings during the same period even as the death toll Friday reached 62.
Official sources told Greater Kashmir, of the 17 killings to be inquired into by the 2-member Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (retd) Bashir-ud-din, seven each are from Islamabad and Varmul and three from Srinagar.
“The four civilian killings in Sopur in June for which government had constituted a separate commission also headed by Justice Bashir-ud-Din, have been included in the list,” sources said.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Ali Muhammad Sagar said so far government had not taken any decision to get these (45) killings investigated.
“If such a decision is taken (at some stage), then the terms of reference of the commission on inquiry have to be expanded,” Sagar said. He said the decision to get the 17 killings inquired into was taken by an “All Party Meeting” called by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
“Those were innocent killings and, barring BJP, all the parties had passed a resolution to get them inquired into. The government can independently take a decision to get the other killings inquired,” he said.
A notification issued by the Law Department, a copy of which has been sent to Justice Bashir-ud-Din, who is also the chairman of the State Human Rights Commission, mentions that the Commission would inquire into 17 killings from June 12 to July 19. The inquiry would start into the killing of Tufail Ahmad Mattoo of Saida Kadal here who was hit by a teargas shell fired by police when he was on way to home from tuitions, and end at Fayaz Ahmed Khanday of Kreeri, Varmul who died on June 19 when CRPF opened fire near DC office Varmul on the funeral procession of Faizan Rafeeq Buhroo who drowned in river Jhelum while being allegedly chased by the SOG personnel following protests in the area.
The mandate of the commission would be to inquire into the circumstances leading to death, fix the responsibility where excessive force had been used, suggest measures to stop the incidents in future and recommend the punishment to those found guilty.
Justice Bashir-ud-Din said the commission would first discuss with the government the requirements like manpower and infrastructure ahead of starting the work.
To start with, he said the commission would either issue general notification or bifurcate the cases district wise which would be followed by collection of preliminary facts and allegations.
“Then we will go to the evidence stage and seek details from government, police and eyewitnesses.” Justice said. Sources said the other member of the commission, YP Nargotra, who lives in Jammu, had not arrived in the Valley so far.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST