Govt appoints panel to probe J&K civilian deaths

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired high court judge to probe into the killings of civilians in the Valley since June 11.

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired high court judge to probe into the killings of civilians in the Valley since June 11.

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"A commission of inquiry to be headed by retired justice Bashir-ud-din and assisted by another judge would probe into the killings of civilians in Kashmir since June," said a senior cabinet minister.

The Omar Abdullah-led cabinet’s decision comes more than two weeks after leaders at an all-party meeting recommended that an independent inquiry be conducted into the deaths.

The commission is expected to file its report in three months.

Since June 11, when the current phase of unrest started, 17 civilians have been killed in action by the security forces, and Abdullah has faced one of his severest tests since he became the state’s CM in 2009.

Tuesday's decisions by the government can be seen as an attempt by Abdullah to change the bleak narrative of the preceding weeks.

It ordered the formation of a team to review the Public Safety Act, used against several political prisoners."The Act would be reviewed on a case-to-case basis," said the minister.