Srinagar, Oct 3: The State Government on Monday claimed that only 1,378 persons have disappeared in Jammu and Kashmir during the past 20 years, while as four fake encounters have taken place n the state since 2002.    
 In a written reply to the clubbed query of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Choudary Zulfikar Ali and MLA Langate Er Rashid, the government informed the House that only 1,378 persons have disappeared during last 20 years.
 The reply states that 121, 13,23,195,275,76,235,225,19,17,19,03,05,53, 47 and 52 persons have gone missing respectively from Islamabad(Anantnag),
 Kulgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Pulwama, Budgam, Kupwara, Srinagar, Ganderbal, Shopian, Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Ramban, Doda and Kishtawar districts since the armed rebellion broke out in the Valley.
 The number provided by the present regime contradicts the figures of the previous regimes. In July 2002, the then Home Minister of National Conference Government, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy had said that 3,184 persons were missing since 1989.  Next year on June 11, Peoples’ Democratic Party led government claimed 3,744 persons are ‘missing’ in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989.
 Ten days later, the number of missing persons was put at 3931.The present government led by National Conference put the number of disappeared persons at 3,429 persons in 2009. In a written reply then it had stated that 1,062 persons are missing from Kashmir zone and remaining 2,367 were from Jammu.
 The information to the clubbed query also revealed that ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh has been paid to the next of kins of 740 disappeared persons.
 About the compensation to families of other disappeared persons, it says, “Five hundred and thirty cases are under process and 108 cases have been rejected due to adverse report from the police.” 
 Meanwhile, the government also disclosed that 1215 cases were registered during 2010 unrest in different districts of the state.
 The reply stated that challans have been produced in 472 cases, while 637 cases are under investigation. It also states 100 cases are untraced and remaining six have not been admitted.
 Four fake encounters have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir since 2002, the reply added.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 3 Oct 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 3 Oct 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 4 Oct 2011 00:00:00 IST