Srinagar, November 18, 2011: a widow, Taja Begum of Warpora in Handawara -Tehsil of Kupwara district whose husband was killed due to third degree torture in custody by the Indian troops in 1992, is waiting for justice for the past 16-years.
The life took an ugly turn for Taja when Border Security Force (BSF) troopers of Maghwa camp arrested her husband, Muhammad Ramzan, on January 22, 1992, she reveals.
“Without any reasons, the troopers roughed him up and ruthlessly thrashed my husband up to the pulp. He was finally released in half-dead state on January 26,” she said. “What was my husband’s fault? He was sole breadwinner of the family”, the widow said.
Life has become an ordeal for us,” Taja said while sobbing. “I want to see my husband’s killers behind bars,” she demanded.
The victim’s son, Manzoor Ahmad still remembers the horrible scene. “It was horrible to see the condition of my father as blood was oozing out from his mouth and nose after i saw him half dead due to torture in BSFs custody. I wept as my father was looking at me. But he couldn’t talk a word.”
The family members had tried to rush Ramzan to hospital, but the troopers didn’t allow them. “When we resisted, troopers threatened us of dire consequences. With the help of neighbours, we managed to take him to Handwara hospital where doctors referred him to Soura Institute of Medical Sciences in Sriangar, But he succumbed to his injuries on way,” Manzoor said.
The family had also approached the Human Rights Commission of Kashmir. “The police has not submitted a factual report to the Commission so far and is using dilly-dallying tactics in the probe of the killing,” Manzoor said.
“My father wanted me to be an engineer. But after his death, I started to work as a labourer to feed my family. I’ve only one aim in life and that is to see that involved troopers are brought to justice,” said the orphan Manzoor. Source KT