Srinagar: The State Human Rights Commission has found implausible the ‘justification’ offered by the police in killing of an elderly person and severe injuries to his son due to the firing by the Central Reserve Police Force at Buchwara Dalgate here in 2008.
In reply to a petition before SHRC, the Director General of Police have submitted that the CRPF fired after “hot milk was sprinkled” at the paramilitary forces and that a mob tried to snatch rifle from one CRPF men. The elderly person Ghulam Qadir Hajam was killed his son, Mohammad Yaqoob Hajam, suffered severe injuries to render him paralysed for life.
“The report filed by the DGP does not level any allegation against the deceased and his son. It merely says that there was a violent mob and someone from the mob tried to take away the service rifle of CRPF man and sprinkled hot milk over a sentry who opened fire,” said chairperson SHRC Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki, adding, “These actions were not attributed either to the deceased or his son. Even if the milk was sprinkled that can’t be sufficient justification for opening fire.”
The commission ordered Rs 5 lakh compensation to NoKs of the family which it said has suffered with its head killed and one of the members rendered 75% disable.
“The injured person will remain whole of his life on wheel chair and may not be able to pursue his vocation”, the commission said and also directed payment of Rs five lakhs compensation in his favour.
“The amount, of Rs one lakh which has been paid as ex-gratia relief can be deducted from the amount of condensation,” the commission said.
Case
On 24 August 2008, the authorities, Mohammad Yaqoob Mir said, authorities had imposed curfew to quell protests against civilian killings in Kashmir.
“But situation was normal in our locality. I went outside to buy milk. The CRPF personnel deputed outside did not stop me. However, while returning to home, three CRPF men without any provocation started to beat me. While two of them were beating me, the third one opened fire on me and I was hit by three bullets…. one on neck and two on abdomen,” Yaqoob said.
“Hearing the gunshots, my father rushed out of his house and tried to save me, however, the CRPF personnel fired on his chest from point blank range,” Yaqoob said.
He said his younger brother Hilal rushed him and his father to hospital. “But my father was declared brought dead,” Yaqoob added.
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