Even after two years, the state government has not provided any information regarding its investigation into the killings of civilians during the 2016 summer unrest.
In its report submitted before the State Human Rights Commission the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir states that “78 people were killed across Kashmir in 2016 unrest.” But the report doesn’t reveal whether the killings have been investigated by the government.
Of the 78 people killed during 2016 unrest, 21 were from Anantnag, 14 from Kulgam, nine from Shopian, 11 from Pulwama, six from Srinagar, four from Kupwara, seven from Budgam, five from Baramulla and one from Bandipora district. However, no magisterial enquiry has been ordered into the killing of 34 civilians from four districts which includes Anantnag, Bandipora, Budgam and Baramulla, and no status report of investigations has been filed by the concerned district administrators of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam district.
The report of divisional commissioner mentions seven deaths in district Budgam, “however no magisterial enquiry has been ordered,” the report adds. “01 death has occurred in Bandipora, no magisterial enquiry has been ordered,” the report states. “In District Anantnag 21 deaths have occurred, ex-gratia relief has been paid to the Next of Kin (NOK’s) of 19 persons. No report regarding magisterial enquiry is available in the file.”
In district Baramulla, the report mentions five civilian deaths. “Ex-gratia relief paid to NOK’s of three persons, while as 02 refused,” the report adds. “The report regarding magisterial enquiry is not available in the file.”
Regarding magisterial enquiries ordered in the rest of the six districts, the government says, “No report has been filed by the district administrators.”
The SHRC had sought a report from the divisional commissioner regarding the probes in civilian killings of 2016 after taking suo motu cognizance of an earlier GK report on the progress of government probes. Not satisfied with the report submitted by the divisional commissioner, SHRC has asked the government to file a “detailed report about the status of the enquiries being conducted into the 2016 civilian killings.”
Earlier, the state government had ordered probes into the killing of an ATM guard, Riyaz Ahmad Shah, who was killed on his way to home, his pellet-ridden body thrown at the gate of government medical college Srinagar; lecturer Shabir Ahmad Mangoo from Sharshali area of Khrew, who was beaten to death in army custody; ambulance driver Ghulam Mohammad Sofi, who was brutally injured while he was ferrying patients, and 13-year-old student, Junaid Ahmad Akhoon from Eidgah Srinagar, who was killed at the entrance of his house.
Among these four cases, the government has completed probe into the killing of Khrew lecturer which is presently awaiting central government approval for prosecution.
Last month Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had said there is no proposal under consideration to constitute a judicial commission to probe the killings during the 2016 unrest.
2 Years On, govt fails to furnish information about 2016 civilian killings probes
