SRINAGAR, August 8, 2011: One hundred seventy three cases of custodial killings and fake encounters have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir from November 2002 till date. From November 2, 2002 to November 2, 2005, 122 cases of custodial killings and fake encounters have been reported from Kashmir. From November 23, 2005 to June 6, 2008, 42 cases have been reported. Since January 2009 till date nine cases of custodial killings and fake encounters are reported.
As per the details of the Public Commission on Human Rights, in November-December 2002, two cases were reported, each of custodial killing and fake encounter.
In the year 2003, 43 cases of custodial killing and fake encounters happened. In 2004, 46 cases were reported. In 2005 till November 2, 2005, 31 cases of custodial killings and fake encounters were reported.
From November to December 2005, four cases were reported. Number of cases of custodial killings and fake encounters in 2006 are 22 as per the report. In 2007, 12 cases were reported; four cases were reported till June 2008. From January 2009 till date, nine cases were registered.
In almost all the cases the accused were security forces. While 90 percent of the cases reported are from various districts of Kashmir, few are from outskirts of Jammu region, namely Udhampur, Uri and Doda. The victims include young boys as well.
Parvez Ahmad Dar, student of 9th class of Kangan, Pulwama was shot dead by Indian army patrolling party of 55 Rashtriya Rifles on July 21, 2005. As per the family version stated in the report, Parvez was shot dead by a patrolling party of 55 Rashtriya Rifles while heading towards a paddy field along with his father and uncle without any provocation and early warning. It is worthwhile to mention here that they were venturing out of their home late in the evening at around 11:15pm carrying a lantern to give the impression to the troops that the civilians were moving.
On July 23, 2005, three boys were shot dead by Indian paramilitary forces. The boys named Bilal Ahamd Sheikh,Wasim Ahmad Wani, Shabir Ahmad Shah hailed from Adergund, Vilgam,
Kupwara.
On the fateful day, a marriage ceremony was taking place in the area. Public version has it that army was aware of the marriage ceremony, as they had been informed days ago that a marriage ceremony is going on in the area and till late evening there might be possibility of public movement. But even then the boys were shot.
As the army version goes, they had laid an ambush in the area on the night of July 23, 2005. The deceased boys were asked by their elders not to stray in the jungles, as moving in late is not less than a danger and inadvertently they got caught into an ambush while returning.
Indian Army had claimed that the boys were challenged to stop but they chose to run away who made forces to fire upon them on suspicion. A probe was ordered into the killing of the three students himself by the then so-called Chief Minister. However, the probe of these fake encounter were not conducted and the men in uniform are moving freely, enjoying life, getting rewards and creating more tension in Kashmir. Source KT