The State Human Rights Commission has directed the J&K government to submit a report on the killings occurring in the year 2017.
Member SHRC, Abdul Hamid Wani, while hearing a petition of chairperson International Forum for Justice and Human Rights, Ahsan Untoo, issued notice to director general of police and chief secretary seeking report on the killings by July 2.
In the petition, Untoo writes that in the year 2017 even government figures indicate that the number of killings increased as compared to the last few years. However, Untoo writes that government figures were not a true reflection of the ground reality.
The petition says, “In 2017, 450 persons including 124 armed forces personnel, 217 militants, 108 civilians and 1 pro-government gunman were killed.”
“The year witnessed a spike in the killings of local militants as 84 militants belonging to different parts of the valley were killed in various encounters with armed forces. Among 217 militants killed in 2017, 28 were identified as foreigners and 104 militants were unidentified.”
The four districts of south Kashmir accounted for the most of the civilian killings with Anantnag (Islamabad), Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian recording 51 killings. Nine non-local civilians also lost their lives, Untoo states.
“In 2017, 20 civilian women were killed in different instances of violence, including eight women Amarnath pilgrims who were killed when suspected militants attacked the bus of yatris in Anantnag on 10 July 2017.”
The petitioner has prayed before the Commission to pass instant and appropriate orders for the investigation of the civilian killings at encounter sites during 2017 and allow proper investigation to get facts of the killings.