Srinagar, June 24: International Forum for Justice and Human Rights – JK on Tuesday filed a petition before the chairperson State Human Rights Commission at 11 am regarding the killing of a youth namely Arshad Ahmad Shah S/O Abdul Aziz Shah R/O Naseem Bagh Sopore and other four injured persons namely Naseer Ahmad Beig, Abid Gojri, Ilyas Shala and Shahid Ahmad, all residents of Sopore by Indian forces in Sopore. The forces opened indiscriminate firing on peaceful protestors who were protesting against the killing of a militant in the Krankshivan Colony of north Kashmir’s Sopore.
Chairman of the forum Muhammad Ahsan Untoo filed the petition against State through Commissioner Secretary Home J&K, Director General of Police J&K, Director General of CRPF J&K, District Magistrate Baramulla, SSP Baramulla and the concerned Station House Officer (SHO) under petition number SHRC/163/2014.
“From the past 25 years, it has become a routine for the security agencies to kill a person without any legal justification. We seek the intervention of this Hon’ble Commission to take strong note of the deteriorating human rights violations in the valley,” Muhammad Ahsan Untoo in his petition complained.
The petition reads: “The Hon’ble then Prime Minister of India has categorically stated time and again that security forces should make standard procedures while dealing with the general public but the direction of Prime Minister regarding the zero tolerance has been sent to the dustbin by the security forces as they are not honoring the command of their Prime Minister. It is the need of the hour that the Hon’ble commission shall make an endeavor to make a strict recommendation to the state government regarding the human rights violations in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, more particularly in the Kashmir valley.”
The petition further reads: “The statement made by the DGP J&K police, K Rajendra published in the leading daily Greter Kashmir on 24 June, 2014 wherein the DGP has admitted that the security forces has killed an innocent boy and has made regret over the same and has ordered inquiry regarding the incident which is just an eye wash as it has become precedent for the concerned officers to first kill the person and thereafter make an announcement for an inquiry into the killing. Hitherto, the so-called commissions have conducted innumerous inquiries but nothing fruitful has been reaped out so far.”
It is therefore prayed that the Hon’b le Commission may constitute a team to conduct an inquiry in the matter and the respondent no. 6 (SHO) be directed to lodge an FIR against the security forces involved in this heinous crime under section 302 RPC.
It is further prayed that the respondent no. 4 (District Magistrate Baramulla) be directed to pay the compensation of rupees 50 lacs to the kins of the deceased person and rupees 25 lacs each to the persons injured in this incident, the petition reads.