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Home » Highlights » India state forces commit human rights abuses in IHK: US Saturday 09 April, 2011
WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday faulted Indian security forces for committing gross human rights violations from killings to torture in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) and other conflict-hit regions.
There were numerous reports that the government and its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including the extra-judicial killings of suspected criminals and terrorists, especially in areas of conflict such as Jammu and Kashmir, the North Eastern States, and the Naxalite belt, where non-governmental forces also committed such killings, the US State Department said in the annual 2010 assessment of the state of human rights around the world.
According to the Institute for Conflict Management, as of October 17, there were 1,616 fatalities in the country including members of security forces, individuals classified by the government as terrorists, and civilians which represented a decrease from 2,231 fatalities in 2009.
Most encounter killings, in which security forces and police extra-judicially killed alleged criminals or terrorists, occurred in areas of conflict, but the practice reportedly occurred elsewhere in the country as well.
In March, a number of media outlets reported that in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) provided data indicating that 1,224 of the 2,560 police encounter cases reviewed since 1993 had been staged by security forces.
Despite the NHRCs published recommendations that the Criminal Investigations Department investigate all police encounter deaths, many states did not follow the guidelines and continued to conduct internal reviews only at the discretion of senior officers.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) reported that on January 21 Manipur security personnel abducted and killed a shop owner in Chekon. Memcha Fazeruddin stated that her husbands body was returned with 15 bullet holes, but the body was clad in combat dress that was free of any bullet holes, which suggested tampering with the body.
Police claimed that Fazeruddin had been shot in an encounter with troops from the 33 Assam Rifles in Kwakta Khuman and that they had found arms and ammunition on him. In a meeting set up by community members, the Manipur chief minister assured Fezeruddins wife that he would give her family compensation and find a suitable job for one of her relatives.
The AHRC stated that the official did not offer to investigate the matter.
On March 14, according to the ACHR, members of the Manipur State Police Commando Unit arrested Chongtham Nanao. The next morning, police informed the local village head that they had recovered a dead body from the location of an alleged exchange of gunfire between police and armed terrorists. Nanaos relatives later identified his body. The local media stated that a combined team of Thoubal Police Commandos and 21 Assam Rifles were involved in the killing.
In September, the government reinstated the four police officials allegedly involved in the May 2009 killing of Neelofar Jan and Asiya Jan in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. On June 28, Shakeel Ahmad Ahangar, Neelofars husband and Asiyas brother, filed a petition to reinstate inquiry into the killings of the two women. The petition remained pending before a Srinagar court at years end. Relatives and police discovered the bodies of Neelofar and Asiya in a stream, and local residents and examining doctors alleged that Indian security forces gang-raped and killed Neelofar and Asiya. In addition, several government officials stated that police involvement in the killings could not be ruled out. In July 2009, the high court ordered the arrest of four police officers on charges of suppressing and destroying evidence in the case.
In September 2009, the court granted bail to the officers, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took charge of the case from the Special Investigation Team. In December 2009 the CBI submitted its report to the high court, concluding the women died of drowning and ruling out foul play.
WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday faulted Indian security forces for committing gross human rights violations from killings to torture in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) and other conflict-hit regions.
There were numerous reports that the government and its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings, including the extra-judicial killings of suspected criminals and terrorists, especially in areas of conflict such as Jammu and Kashmir, the North Eastern States, and the Naxalite belt, where non-governmental forces also committed such killings, the US State Department said in the annual 2010 assessment of the state of human rights around the world.
According to the Institute for Conflict Management, as of October 17, there were 1,616 fatalities in the country including members of security forces, individuals classified by the government as terrorists, and civilians which represented a decrease from 2,231 fatalities in 2009.
Most encounter killings, in which security forces and police extra-judicially killed alleged criminals or terrorists, occurred in areas of conflict, but the practice reportedly occurred elsewhere in the country as well.
In March, a number of media outlets reported that in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) provided data indicating that 1,224 of the 2,560 police encounter cases reviewed since 1993 had been staged by security forces.
Despite the NHRCs published recommendations that the Criminal Investigations Department investigate all police encounter deaths, many states did not follow the guidelines and continued to conduct internal reviews only at the discretion of senior officers.
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) reported that on January 21 Manipur security personnel abducted and killed a shop owner in Chekon. Memcha Fazeruddin stated that her husbands body was returned with 15 bullet holes, but the body was clad in combat dress that was free of any bullet holes, which suggested tampering with the body.
Police claimed that Fazeruddin had been shot in an encounter with troops from the 33 Assam Rifles in Kwakta Khuman and that they had found arms and ammunition on him. In a meeting set up by community members, the Manipur chief minister assured Fezeruddins wife that he would give her family compensation and find a suitable job for one of her relatives.
The AHRC stated that the official did not offer to investigate the matter.
On March 14, according to the ACHR, members of the Manipur State Police Commando Unit arrested Chongtham Nanao. The next morning, police informed the local village head that they had recovered a dead body from the location of an alleged exchange of gunfire between police and armed terrorists. Nanaos relatives later identified his body. The local media stated that a combined team of Thoubal Police Commandos and 21 Assam Rifles were involved in the killing.
In September, the government reinstated the four police officials allegedly involved in the May 2009 killing of Neelofar Jan and Asiya Jan in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. On June 28, Shakeel Ahmad Ahangar, Neelofars husband and Asiyas brother, filed a petition to reinstate inquiry into the killings of the two women. The petition remained pending before a Srinagar court at years end. Relatives and police discovered the bodies of Neelofar and Asiya in a stream, and local residents and examining doctors alleged that Indian security forces gang-raped and killed Neelofar and Asiya. In addition, several government officials stated that police involvement in the killings could not be ruled out. In July 2009, the high court ordered the arrest of four police officers on charges of suppressing and destroying evidence in the case.
In September 2009, the court granted bail to the officers, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took charge of the case from the Special Investigation Team. In December 2009 the CBI submitted its report to the high court, concluding the women died of drowning and ruling out foul play.
