Poonch ‘custodial deaths’: Five injured join investigation
Three civilians were allegedly killed in custody at 48 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) camp in Bafliaz on December 22 and five were injured as the army picked eight men for questioning, a day after armed terrorists ambushed two army vehicles at Dhatyar Morh in Poonch’s Surankote. While four soldiers had died in the attack, three others were injured.
Five men, who survived army’s alleged custodial torture on December 22, appeared in Surankote police station in Poonch district as part of police investigation on Tuesday.
Three civilians were allegedly killed in custody at 48 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) camp in Bafliaz on December 22 and five were injured as the army picked eight men for questioning, a day after armed terrorists ambushed two army vehicles at Dhatyar Morh in Poonch’s Surankote. While four soldiers had died in the attack, three others were injured.
“Lal Hussain, 70, Riaz Ahmed, 25, Farooq Ahmed, 19, Israel, 20, and Jameel Ahmed, 18, all residents of Topa Peer village appeared before the SDPO and SHO of the Surankote police station,” said Mohammad Sadeeq, former panch of the village and uncle of Showkat Ali, one of the three slain men.
The deceased were identified as Safeer Hussain, 44, Showket Ali, 22, and Shabir Hussain, 32, of Topa Peer village.
“The injured appeared in Surankote police station and narrated the December 22 incident. Three men, including my nephew Showkat Ali, who were ‘killed’ that day in army’s custody, were picked up along with six others from Topa Peer village,” said Sadeeq.
Surankote police station SHO inspector Rajesh Thappa confirmed the development and said, “Investigations are on and statements of the injured shall be recorded before a judge soon.”
The former panch said, “The sixth injured person — Irfan, 18 — is presently undergoing treatment at Khyber hospital in Srinagar. He was first admitted to army’s hospital in Potha from where he was shifted to Udhampur’s command hospital and brought back to Potha. A few days ago, he was sent home but he developed urine infection and is currently under treatment at Khyber hospital in Srinagar,” said Sadeeq.
At least 29 men were picked up on December 22: Ex-panch
According to former panch Mohammad Sadeeq, the army on December 22, had picked up 29 men from Pangai in Rajouri’s Thannmandi, Sawani and Topa Peer in Poonch district.
“The army on that day had picked up 10 men from Pangai, 10 from Sawani and nine from Topa Peer village. While we lost three men, including my nephew, six others were injured severely. The nature of injuries varied in case of 20 other men from Pangai and Sawani,” said Sadeeq.
It may be stated here that defence minister Rajnath Singh on December 27 had met five seriously injured persons from Pangai at Rajouri hospital.
National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah had met the injured of Sawani village at Surankote hospital.
On January 16, the Jammu and Kashmir police had recorded statement of seven family members of three slain men and five injured from Topa Peer village, exactly after 25 days since December 21 attack.
On December 22, J&K Police had lodged an open FIR against ‘unidentified’ accused of the army under Section 302 of the IPC at Surankote police station.