Custodial killing widely condemned
Srinagar, May 20: In Srinagar, Meanwhile, APHC leader and other liberation leaders have strongly condemned the custodial killing of a civilian by Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel in Srinagar on Monday.
While condemning the killing of the car-dealer, Manzoor Ahmad Beigh, of Aloochi Bagh the All Parties Hurriyet Conference leader, Zaffar Akbar Bhat termed the initiation of probe by district administration as an eye-wash to cool the tempers.
Condemning the killing, the Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) Chairman Zaffar Akbar Bhat demanded impartial probe into it. Meanwhile, a delegation of JKSM also visited the residence of deceased. The leader also condemned the use of force on mourners and peaceful protesters at Aloochi Bagh in the city.
APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq said that on the one hand India claimed to be the world’s largest democracy, but on the other committed grave human rights violations by subjecting unarmed people to violence. Extended sympathy to the victim’s family, the Mirwaiz demanded exemplary punishment to the guilty personnel to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Senior Hurriyat leaders Maulana Abbas Ansari, Prof Abdul Ghanii Bhat, Yasmeen Raja ,Agha Syed Hassan and Bilal Ghani Lone have also condemned the killing.
“The probe ordered by DC Srinagar in this case of custodial killing is nothing but deceit. In such circumstance the government machinery orders these statements only to cool tempers as no probe or investigations are carried or any report filed,” Geelani said, adding that instead the killers are encouraged and they are made supplicant.”
Expressing serious concern over the custodial killing, the Jamaat-i-Islami Jammu and Kashmir termed it the worst demonstration of state terrorism. Praying for the peace to departed soul, the Jama’at expressed solidarity with the bereaved family.
Malik also termed the probe into the incident as mere excuse. The JKLF also appealed the international human rights organizations to use their influence in protecting people in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the inquiry ordered by the district development commissioner into the custodial killing was eyewash. “The government resorts to these tactics on such occasions merely to calm public outrage. No investigations take place, nor do any reports come out. On the contrary, the killers are encouraged and appointed as the judge and the jury,” he said
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (R) spokesman while condemning the killing, termed it as worst kind of state terrorism.
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association while condemning the killing, said that it had taken strong note of the torture that the victim had been subjected. “We demand immediate action against the SP SOG Srinagar.” The Bar demanded that the accused should be booked under the Sec 302 of RPC for murder and demanded the Police station Shergari register an FIR against the accused.
The Mahaz-e-Aazadi president, Mir Muhammad Iqbal has expressed serious concern over the killing, terming it as the worst example of ‘state terrorism’. Mir demanded impartial probe into it.
Severely condemning the killing, the High Court Bar Association held the senior superintendent of the police (SSP) for Srinagar directly responsible for Beig’s death.
“The SOG, under the supervision of the SSP, is playing a deadly and fatal game with the basic rights and lives of people,” the Bar general secretary, G N Shaheen, said.