Srinagar: The alleged torture of four civilians in the army custody in Kishtwar has sparked a furore in Jammu and Kashmir with the mainstream parties led by the ruling National Conference as well as the Hurriyat Conference demanding strict punishment for the guilty.
The victims, who belong to poor families, were called to report at an army camp in Mughal Maidan tehsil of Kishtwar on Wednesday (November 20) where they were allegedly subjected to third degree torture, leaving some of them in a badly injured state and bed-ridden, their families have alleged.
Speaking with reporters on Friday, J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said if the allegations are found to be true, the army officials involved in the torture must be court-martialled.
“This is not the first time that locals have been called to report at the army camps and tortured there. These victims are fortunate to be alive, otherwise we have seen incidents where victims have also lost their lives,” he said, referring to the killing of three civilians from Poonch during custodial interrogation by the army last year.
Abdullah said that the army should order a transparent probe into the allegations, “The army should not show any leniency towards the culprits and if there is evidence of their involvement, they should be court-martialled immediately.”
The four victims, who have suffered bruises and lacerations allegedly due to torture, are reportedly undergoing treatment at an army facility in Jammu where they were admitted on Thursday.
The report on civilian torture, the army’s Nagrota based White Knight Corps also admitted that the victims were subjected to “alleged mistreatment” while promising “necessary follow-up action” into the incident.
“Based on specific intelligence of the move of a group of terrorists in the #Kishtwar Sector, an operation was launched by #RashtriyaRifles on 20 November 2024. There are some reports on the alleged ill treatment of civilians during the conduct of the operation. An investigation is being launched to ascertain the facts. Necessary follow up action will be ensured. Further move of the group of terrorists is being monitored,” the White Knight Corps posted on X.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that the Kishtwar incident has raised concerns about human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir. Delivering his Friday sermon at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, the Mirwaiz said that the incident highlights the issue of “impunity and abuse of authority” in Kashmir.
“The perpetrators of such acts are rarely held accountable by the authorities. We hope that the inquiry (ordered by the army) will lead to justice for the victims,” he said.
The allegations of torture of civilians surfaced two days after the army’s northern commander lieutenant general M.V. Suchindra Kumar reviewed the security situation in Kishtwar of Chenab Valley and less than a year after the army was accused of killing three civilians in custodial interrogation in Poonch district of Pir Panjal.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said that the victims of Kishtwar incident were unable to walk and required assistance to reach a hospital for medical attention due to serious injuries suffered during the alleged torture.
“The incident has drawn parallels to earlier disturbing events in Bafliaz, Surankote (Poonch), where similar allegations of human rights violations were reported. I urge J&K’s U.T. government to take swift action against those involved to ensure accountability and to prevent such heinous human rights violations from recurring in future,” she said.
J&K Apni Party chairman Altaf Bukhari also demanded ‘severe punishment’ for those responsible for the alleged torture.
“The reports suggesting that the Army has brutally tortured five civilians in Kishtwar are deeply concerning. The matter must be thoroughly investigated, and those found responsible must be severely punished. Such incidents should not be tolerated. My deepest sympathies are with the victims,” Bukhari posted on X.
The allegations against the army have surfaced in the backdrop of the killing of a special forces’ junior commissioned officer in a militant attack in Chas area of Kishtwar on November 10. Three more army soldiers were also injured in the attack which took place three day.
On November 7, two civilians, who were working as village defence guards, were abducted and later gunned down in a militant attack in the upper reaches of Kishtwar.
The Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region in Jammu division have been hit by a deadly wave of militant attacks in which dozens of army and police officials as well as civilians have been killed, prompting massive searches and intelligence-based operations during which hundreds of civilians have been questioned.
In December last year, three civilians were killed during custodial interrogation by the army in Poonch district of Jammu. An army probe had later blamed the “lapses” in the conduct of about a dozen army personnel, including officers, for the gruesome killings.
A unit of the army’s Rashtriya Rifles, which was involved in the killings, was shifted out of Poonch district while a probe was launched to investigate the role of a commanding officer and a major who were allegedly involved in the killings.
