Indian Army accepts breach of procedure in killing of trio in Kashmir

Shahana Butt
Press TV, Kashmir

Army officials in Indian-controlled Kashmir for the first time ever acknowledge the breach of standard operating procedure by troopers during alleged encounters in the disputed Himalayan region. 

Back in July, the Indian army said it killed three people in an armed encounter in Indian administered Kashmir, claiming they were foreign militants. The deaths during a stop and search operation triggered outcry, amid accusations that the encounter was faked to justify the killings. Now a probe into the so-called anti-militancy operation, confirms the three youths were locals from the Rajouri district of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The probe was triggered after the families of victims saw their images on social media. The photos were said to belong to foreign militants killed in an Indian army operation. However, it turned out that the youths were Indians, who had traveled to Kashmir to work as laborers.

Now, in a first, the Indian army has acknowledged that its soldiers breached standard operating procedures under the infamous Armed Forces Special Powers law. The army said in a statement that initial findings show troops "exceeded powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)", which grant the security forces widespread impunity and allows them to kill or arrest suspected people at will. The army said disciplinary proceedings are ordered against those answerable.

Human rights activist Khurram Parvaiz, who has been a part of investigation reports on mass graves, disappearances, fake encounters and custodial killings in Kashmir, says the statement in no way acknowledges the innocence of the victims.

The families of the killed laborers have called for a fair inquiry into the case and are seeking the results of the DNA report to establish the truth.

Since 1990, the Indian army has been accused of scores of staged gun battles in Kashmir. So far, only one such incident has led to the prosecution of those involved. That’s the 2010 Machil Fake encounter, where involved personnel were later acquitted of their charges.

A year after the Revocation of Kashmir special status, this probe is a test for the Indian government’s promise of justice in the disputed region. For years, rights groups have sought revocation of the draconian special powers. Now, after the Indian army’s acknowledgement of abuse of power in this case, many eyes are on the Indian government to see whether it revokes the controversial law.

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