ISLAMABAD: The tortural death in custody of three Kashmiri youths at the hands of the Indian military have prompted an investigation, as an uptick in violence in Kashmir threatens to undercut Indian narrative of peaceful development in an election year.
On Dec. 22, the day after four Indian Army soldiers were killed in an apparent ambush in the region, as many as nine men from a tribal community were detained for questioning. The relatives of the detained persons have said that they were tortured, resulting in death of three persons namely Showkat, 22, Safeer 45 and Shabir 32.
A video showing what appears to be abuse of the men in custody went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage and demands from political leaders for a proper probe. The footage of the said incident has renewed debate over human rights and the Indian armys’ conduct in Kashmir.
Haji Hussain 65, uncle of Safeer, whule talking to media said that after militants attacked the Indian army convoy his nephew was picked up. “Two men from security forces wearing plain clothes came to his house and said that the army captain was looking for him,” he said. “Later we got to know how he was beaten up and tortured until he died.”
As news of the custodial torturous deaths broke and caused more panic and the army in a statement stated that investigation will be conducted int he matter.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah led a high-level meeting on security and development in Kashmir, media reports said.
After feeling the heat of the torturous deaths, Kashmiri government on behest of Indian masters has announced compensation and jobs for the families of the deceased.
on the matter Hussain, uncle of one of the deceased Safeer told media person, “It will take ages to get justice”.
The army routinely rounds up locals after militant attacks and, on several occasions, it has been accused of extrajudicial abuses. People said that the latest incident has refreshed memories of the killing of three tribal men by army soldiers in what was found to have been a “staged” gunfight in July 2020. Amid a similar storm of criticism, an army court convicted an officer and sentenced him to life imprisonment, yet he was granted bail this past November.
“Those three boys were also from our community. The government this time should give exemplary punishment to those involved as jobs and compensation to families is not justice,” said Guftar Ahmad, a lawyer and tribal activist.
Critics say the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which allows Indian soldiers operating in Kashmir to avoid trials in civilian courts, grants them impunity. But the grim details of the latest case, in which the men were allegedly beaten before having chili powder applied to their wounds, appears to have put the authorities in a tight spot.
Mehmood Ahmed, the head of the village where the men were detained and who identified two civilians in the viral video, said they left behind families that depended on them. “This is extremely sad. These people belong to the village where there is even no availability of necessities like water. One civilian’s wife is pregnant. All we want is justice,” he said.
People said that anxiety over anti-militancy operations in the area is palpable. “In my entire life, I have never seen such a fear among locals. Children are even afraid of going to school,” said Muhammad Hussain, uncle of Safeer.
Indian premier Narendera Modi’s, who will be seeking a third term in power when the nation of 1.4 billion votes in the first half of 2024, after feeling a little heat and the opposition is also taking the matter, stated, “We are determined to ensure that the fruits of progress not only reach you but also extend their benefits to the most vulnerable and marginalized sections of our society who suffered due to Article 370,” referring to the constitutional section that maintained a degree of autonomy for Kashmir.
At the same time, officials express concern about renewed militancy in the region, as India attempts a balancing act to maintain security in Kashmir as well as at its tense disputed border with China.
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