Jammu and Kashmir on Friday promised to use an "iron hand" against police who kill civilians and claim they are rebels in hopes of getting rewards or promotions.
The pledge came a week after authorities began a probe into the alleged shooting death of a carpenter in a "false encounter" with police.
The victim, Abdul Rahman Padder, was reportedly detained in Srinagar in December 2006. He was killed and later described by police as a Pakistani terrorist.
"It is the government's firm resolve to deal with an iron hand with those policemen responsible for killing of innocents just for getting promotions or rewards," chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.
His remarks came a day after police exhumed a body to carry out DNA tests to determine whether it was that of the carpenter.
Two policemen rewarded with cash and honours after the alleged gunbattle were arrested last weekend over the incident, and another four were detained and questioned on Tuesday, police said.
"Killing innocents for rewards or promotions is a heinous crime and those responsible for it would be punished as murderers," said Azad, who has been under fire over Padder's case.
Azad said he and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have repeatedly declared their commitment to protecting human rights in Kashmir, where at least 44,000 people have died since the separatist revolt erupted.
{{/usCountry}}Azad said he and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have repeatedly declared their commitment to protecting human rights in Kashmir, where at least 44,000 people have died since the separatist revolt erupted.
{{/usCountry}}Police are investigating three more cases where civilians were allegedly killed and later called Islamic terrorists.