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‘Poonch custodial deaths’: Sinha hands over job letters to kin of civilians
At least three men died and six others injured from Topa Peer village in alleged custodial torture on December 22, a day after terrorists had ambushed two army vehicles at Dhatyar Morh that left four soldiers dead and three injured
Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday handed over appointment letters under to the kin of three men who were allegedly killed in army custody inside 48 Rashtriya Rifles’ camp in Surankote’s Bafliaz in Poonch district on December 23.
At least three men died and six others injured from Topa Peer village in alleged custodial torture on December 22, a day after terrorists had ambushed two army vehicles at Dhatyar Morh that left four soldiers dead and three injured.
The deceased were identified as Safeer Ahmed, 44, Showkat Ali, 22, and Shabir Ahmed, 32.
“The appointment orders were handed over to Zareena Begum, wife of Safeer Ahmed; Mohammad Kabir, brother of Shabir Ahmed; Mohammad Razaq, brother of Showkat Ali, under the Sadr-e-Riyasat Ordnance ,” said an official statement issued here.
The administration had on February 23 announced compensation and jobs to the next of kin of the deceased civilians.
Allotment orders of one kanal land were also handed over to the families for the residential purpose, it added.
Sinha assured the family members of all possible support from the administration in the future.
Poonch deputy magistrate Choudhary Mohammad Yasin was also present.
According to the former panch of Topa Peer village Mohammad Sadeeq, the army had on December 22 picked up at ;east 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,” said Sadeeq. ₹
On December 27, defence minister Rajnath Singh had met five injured 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, police had recorded statement of seven family members of deceased and injured civilians from Topa Peer village.
On December 22, police had lodged an open FIR against “unknown” accused of the army under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code at the Surankote police station.