Hyderabad: Contrary to the claims of the Centre that no civilian was killed in Jammu and Kashmir since August 5 — the day Article 370 was abrogated — the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) have documented at least six killings at the hands of security agencies. They are also pursuing another “accident” case wherein three youths from Kupwara district of North Kashmir died mysteriously.
In 2019 (from January to December), the highest number of killings were recorded in four south Kashmir districts of Pulwama (12), Anantnag (5), Shopian (5) and Kulgam two — a total of 24 killings.
The North Kashmir districts of Baramulla (3 killings), Kupwara (6) and Bandipora (3) jointly recorded 12 civilian killings and the Central Kashmir district of Srinagar recorded eight civilian killings, Jammu district witnessed 3 civilian killings, Poonch (9) and Rajouri (4). Districts of Doda, Kishtwar, and Reasi witnessed one killing each.
The Annual Human Rights Review, 2019 — an exhaustive report which summarises key human rights issues facing Jammu and Kashmir — presents a grim picture of the situation in the Valley, both before the scrapping of Article 370 and after.
According to the report, one of the six persons who died at the hands of security forces was identified as Usaib Altaf Marazi (17) of Palpora, Srinagar, a 12th standard student. The report alleges that he was beaten by the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and pushed into the river on August 5 and that he died later.
The report further states that violence in J&K in 2019 saw similar trends as witnessed during the last decade.
Children are victims of state violence
The others are — Fehmida (34) of Bemina who died after inhaling a mixture of teargas and pepper smoke fired by police on August 9; Mohammad Ayoub Khan (57) of Safa Kadal who got suffocated after inhaling teargas and pepper smoke fired by police on August 17; Abdul Gaffar Wani (65) of Hyderpora who too was suffocated after inhaling teargas on August 22, Asrar Ahmed of Elahi Bagh, a class 11 student who was hit by a pellet and tear gas shell on August 6 and succumbed on September 4, and Riyaz Ahmed Tikrey (30) of Kupwara, whose family alleged that he was tortured and killed in police custody.
The JKCCS and APDP are currently pursuing the killing of three youth from Kupwara district of North Kashmir in an alleged ‘road accident’ near JVC hospital in Bemina, Srinagar on August 5, 2019, which, according to the family members of the deceased was caused by the use of tear-gas shells by the state forces. The names of the three youth are Syed Firdous Shah of Kachhama, Kupwara, Mustafa Chechi of Hajibal, Kalaroos, Kupwara, and Shabir Ahmad Barra of Sarkuli, Kupwara.
The report further states that violence in J&K in 2019 saw similar trends as witnessed during the last decade. This year at least 366 people were killed in different incidents of violence and there were extrajudicial executions of at least 80 civilians in J&K, besides killings of 159 militants and 129 personnel of the armed forces.
Among 80 civilians killed in 2019, 12 are women. As in the past, children continued to be victims of state violence in J&K.
Eight children were killed in various incidents of violence in 2019. Besides becoming victims of extra-judicial executions, children also faced illegal and unjust detention, ill-treatment including torture, at the hands of armed forces during detention and fear of further reprisals.
According to the report, the use of pellet shotguns, first introduced in Kashmir in 2010, continued throughout 2019.
The excessive use of force by the Indian armed forces, especially the firing of pellets and teargas shells, resulted in at least six deaths in 2019. This year four people died due to pellet injuries and three died due to inhalation of excessive tear and pepper gas.
