Sohail Khan
Jammu: No magisterial enquiry was ordered last year into civilian killings or human rights violations in the state, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Tuesday.
“Further, as per reports, 5 Magisterial Enquiries were ordered during 2016,” Mehbooba, who is also Home Minister, said in a written reply to a question by National Conference senior legislator Ali Mohammad Sagar.
She said no enquiry commission has been constituted during the last two year either. However, she said, pursuant to the statement made by the her on the Floor of the Legislative Assembly on 9 January 2017, the Range DIGs were directed to constitute District Level Investigation Teams headed by the concerned Dy. SP Hqrs, for carrying out time bound investigation of all such cases where deaths of civilians and police personnel were involved.
The Range DIG was directed to constitute Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an Addl. SP for carrying out time bound investigation in case FIR No. 156/2016 registered in Police Station, Pampore (regarding Khrew lecturer’s killing by army) .
She said the Range DIG CKR was also directed to constitute Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SP (South), Srinagar for carrying out time bound investigation in case FIR No. 57/2016 registered in Police Station Karan Nagar (regarding ATM guard killed with pellets).
To other question, she said there are 474 number of cases of NoKs of civilians pending disposal for cash compensation and compassionate appointment before the Deputy Commissioners and the cases are at various stages of consideration for want of requisite formalities like, non-involvement reports from Police/ requisite documents including dependent certificate, details of NoKs, Report/recommendations of District level Screening-cum-Coordination Committee as stipulated in sub rule (2)a of Rule-5 of SRO-43/1994 and identification of posts by Deputy Commissioners.
She also stated in the reply that as many as 797 persons, 272 them civilians, were killed in violence related incidents since last two years in Jammu and Kashmir.
“85 civilians were killed in law and order incidents and 19 others killed during militancy related incidents in year 2016,” she said.
Mehbooba also informed the house that 20 civilians were killed in ‘law and order’ problems and 48 others died in militancy relegated incidents in year 2017.
She said that 13 and 11 civilians were killed during cross border shelling in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
“An amount of Rs 23 lakh has been paid to the NoKs of 23 deceased, Rs 6.20 lac in favour of 110 injured persons and Rs 43.66 lac on account of 165 structures damaged due to the border shelling”, Mehbooba said.
She also reviled that 162 security personnel and 363 militants were killed during 2016 and 2017.
“162 police/security/forces personnel were killed during the period.” Out of 162 personnel, 82 were killed in 2016 and 80 in 2017, she added
Mehbooba also revealed that 363 including 244 foreign militants were killed during the period.
Also, she said, 176 suspected militants have also been arrested during the last two years.
Mehbooba also revealed that curfew was imposed for 193 times in Kashmir Valley and Kishtwar district during the last two years.
She said that in Anantnag district, curfew and restrictions were imposed for 51 times, followed by 37 times in Baramulla district (22 in Sopore and 15 in Baramulla police districts), 25 times each in Srinagar and Budgam districts, 17 times in Pulwama district (10 in police district Awantipora and 7 in Pulwama), 14 times in Shopian district, nine times in Bandipora district, seven times in Kulgam district and three times in Ganderbal district. Besides, five times in Kishtwar district of the Jammu region.
Mufti said that the restrictions were imposed as necessities by the situation and cordon and search operations were carried out on specific information.