Annual Human Rights Report 2015

By Human Rights Division - APHC

TOTAL KILLINGS:
Imposition of curfew every second day, restrictions on peoples movement and traffic,
freezing of Internet services, clashes with government forces, people getting killed and
injured these things are the evidence of the fact that the ground situation in Kashmir
has not only remained unchanged but it has deteriorated further during 2015. This year,
the killing of human beings, incidents of violence, border firings and curbs on the public
movement remained unabated.
Total number of 206 deaths in violent incidents were reported during this year. Out of
206 persons, 53 were Civilians, 41 Armed Forces and Police Personnel and 111 Militants.
Out of 53 civilians killed, 05 have been killed by armed forces personnel, 04 were killed
in cross firing incidents between forces and militants and 17 have been killed by
unidentified gunmen. Among those killed was one Burhan Bashir Bhat a three year old
toddler who was killed by unidentified gunmen on September 19 in Sopore area. 12
civilians have been killed in border firing or shelling between Indian and Pakistani
troops while 09 persons were killed due to littered or unexploded shells and mines etc
while 01 person was killed in police custody. Whereas 01 person was put to death by
fanatic goons in Udhampor incident in which they attacked their truck by petrol bombs
and the subject lost his life due to burn injuries at a hospital. One person lost his life due
to a grenade blast in Anantnag. While 04 civilian deaths are attributed to state
sponsored militia VDC,s.
It is important to mention here that out of total number of deaths in violent incidents
one Pakistani prisoner lodged in Central Jail Srinagar, died in a mysterious blast.

KILLINGS DUE TO LITTERRED EXPLOSIVES:

Unexploded shells, littered explosives and live ammunition has led to the death of
several persons and grievous injuries to scores of people in less media glare areas of
Jammu and Kashmir. But majority of those killed and injured were children. Curious,
children are naturally tempted to pick up strange objects even if these are unexploded
ordnance bombs, shells and grenades and their natural curiosity leads them to
investigate any strange object as they take them as playing items. This year out of 09
person 05 children lost their lives due to littered explosives and live ammunition.

PELLET INJURIES:
Use of Pellet gun by state forces continue to haunt youth this year as well and it
remained the preferred weapon of the forces to quell the public protests or to target the
bystanders and other civilians.
Although a number of youth hit by pellets evaded treatment in Valley Hospitals to
escape arrests and persecution by Police but still serious pellet injuries to more than 45
persons were reported this year. Scores of youth suffered pellet injuries by the
government forces and eyes of most of the victims were damaged. Many lost their vision
permanently while others underwent through operative procedures. Out of these forty
five pellet victims 42 persons became victim of pellet fires during the present collation
government headed by PDP.
On February 9, three persons suffered pellet injuries in Palhallan and one among them,
a college going student suffered injury in his eye. While another youth sustained injuries
on chest and face.
On February 13, in Palhalan, another student was injured, who was operated upon in
CVTS department of SKIMS Soura.
In the month of April, three persons were injured near Jamia Masjid Srinagar and the
eyes of all three persons were critically damaged by pellets.
One month later on May 21, four persons got injured due to pellet fires in Palhalan and
one of them, Hamid Ahmad, had around 100 injuries of pellets on his face and another
youth from Palhallan, who had received serious pellet injuries on his arm was also
admitted in SKIMS Medical College and Hospital Bemina. Later on severe pellet injury
to one more person from old city was also reported. He was also injured on 21 May near
Nowhatta.

On June 27, a youth from Nowhatta was critically injured in the left eye with pellet gun
fire while another youth received serious pellet injury on his back, scalp, shoulder and
both were admitted and treated at SMHS Hospital Srinagar.
In Kakpora Pulwama, another two persons were injured in the eye and both were
admitted in the SMHS Hospital during the month of August.
In August, at Qaimoh Kulgam, more than a dozen people were injured by pellet guns
during a week and one of the victims suffered serious injury in his eye.
On September 4, two persons were critically injured in the eye at Nowhatta and grievous
injuries to two more persons during the month of September were also reported.
Even if we take into consideration alone the month of October then at least 12 cases of
serious Pellet Injuries at the hands of state forces were reported. Eyes of eight youth got
damaged and among them one of the injured got grievously hurt in both eyes,
threatening complete loss of vision. While another injured boy from Bijbehara got
severe injuries on his Scalp and back. One girl student with severe pellet injuries on her
back and a 50-year-old business man whose left arm, leg and thigh got pellet hits were
also among the injured.
During the month of November at least 9 youth became victim of pellets. Out of these
nine youth one was operated at SMHS Hospital for critical injuries to his abdomen while
five youth sustained injuries to their one eye and due to the injury the eye sight of the
injured youth got damaged while two victims received serious pellet injuries on back,
scalp, arms and legs. One of the injured youth underwent through an operative
procedure for injury to his leg.
Friday December 4, one youth from old city suffered pellet injury on his left arm, thigh
and back at Nowhatta and underwent an operative procedure for injury to his thigh.
On December 16, one youth from old city of Srinagar suffered a brutal pellet attack by
state forces near Qamarwari. Due to fatal pellet injuries the victim got grievous eye
injuries threatening complete loss of vision. He was treated at SKIMS Medical College
and Hospital Bemina and SKIMS Soura where he underwent different surgical
procedures. But finally, doctors referred him outside Kashmir for advanced treatment
where he would need a series of operations.
Recently on December 25, as per reports, number of people sustained pellet injuries in
Pulwama. However, around 15 pellet injury patients were treated at different
hospitals, while others who either had minor injuries or who would have sought
treatment at other places to escape police wrath. Three persons were treated for
pellet injuries on face and chest at SKIMS. One youth from Kadlabal Pampore with
grievous pellet injuries was also among others who were rushed to a Srinagar
hospital where few injured were discharged after required treatment while others

would need a series of operations and One victim suffered eye-injuries that could
cost him his eye-sight.

DENIAL OF JUVENIAL RIGHTS:

On October 16, a 9-year-old child was arrested and blindfolded by the cops from old city
of Srinagar. The picture of the child being whisked away by police men grabbed the
attention of everyone on Social Networking sites and Newspapers. The fact of the matter
is that the situation in J&K is extremely obnoxious in this regard and Police continue to
arrest minors and book them under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code for rioting
among other offences.
In an official reply to RTI Application filed by Mannan Bukhari, the State Home
department under communication no. Home/PBV/RTI/2013/1357, of March 2014
revealed that 707 FIRs had been filed against juveniles since 1988 under different
sections of Cr.P.C.
A number of juveniles had been arrested over the years under the Jammu & Kashmir
Public Safety Act, 1978, (PSA) and the Ranbir Penal Code. In summer this year, the
government partnered with UNICEF to sensitize police officers about dealing with
juveniles. Who by Juvenile Justice Act are supposed to be tried in special courts but
there is no Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee. In Jammu & Kashmir
minors are tried in normal courts, sometimes as adults, in contravention of the
established Laws and International Obligations.
Juvenile Justice Act prohibits handcuffing of minors. Neither can policemen wearing
uniform produce them in courts, nor can juveniles be tried in regular courts. According
to the law, a juvenile has to be accompanied by a police official in plainclothes before the
Juvenile Justice Board headed by a principal magistrate. Also, special juvenile police
units have to be designated to deal with such children and every police station is
supposed to have a Juvenile Child Welfare Officer.
But during this year as well, it was learnt that minors (allegedly stone pelters) were
arrested by the police, tortured, produced before the Courts and they are tried in normal
criminal courts.
On 26-11-2015, five minor boys, who were charged under the Unlawful Activities Act,
were brought handcuffed in full public view by policemen in uniform to a court in
Srinagar, in violation of the Juvenile Justice Act 2013. These minors told the court that
they were produced before the court after 13 days of their arrest and they were kept in
police custody for thirteen days before being produced in the court. One of the minors
told the court that after he complained of pain in body at Cargo police station, he was

taken to PCR hospital and was directed to reveal his identity as SPO bearing belt no.597.
They said they were interrogated at cargo. Some of the juveniles produced roll no slips
before the court saying that they missed the exams.
Three minors who had been charged under Unlawful Activities Act, were brought
handcuffed to a court on December 8,2015 by uniformed cops. The handcuffed juveniles
were chained together, along with three adults, in full public glare outside the court of
Ist Additional Munsif Srinagar. But the policemen earned the court's wrath, and
rejected the polices plea for remand of the three juveniles who, according to their
lawyers, were held on December 4 and not on December 7, as the police claimed.
According to their lawyers the children had been in illegal detention for four days and
the illegal action of the police jeopardized the educational career of the juveniles as they
were being prevented from appearing in examinations.
A minor namely Umar Mushtaq Untoo from Sopore was nabbed by the police while
taking part in protests in Palhallan on October 27 and was lodged at police station
Pattan, Sub jail Baramulla and SOG Camp for nearly a fortnight, in gross violation of
Juvenile Justice Act. According to Umars father Mushtaq Ahmad a laborer, Umar was
detained for five days in the SOG Camp at Pattan where he was brutally tortured and
then shifted to Sub-Jail Baramulla where from court sent him to Juvenile home.
In Kashmir juveniles are treated as adults, in brazen violation of Juvenile Justice Act.
and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. During this year, the legal team of APHC,
got 7 minors released on bail while 4 minors were acquitted of their charges by various
courts. It was learnt that as many as 87 juveniles detained on charges of stone throwing
were lodged at the Valleys lone Juvenile Care Home at Harwan this year.
It is worth pointing out that there is no juvenile home for girls, in violation of the J&K
Juvenile Justice Act.
In May this year, the Honble High Court of J&K while hearing a Public Interest
Litigation filed by a Haryana-based social worker, through her counsel, directed the
state government to wake up from deep slumber in the interests of children and
inform it about steps taken about the implementation of the legislation. In December,
the same court said that the purpose of enacting the Juvenile Justice Act in the state
stands frustrated due to its non compliance, the high court has said and directed the
state government to constitute Juvenile Justice Boards before December 28. One of the
essential purpose of legislating laws is to reintegrate the children who are in conflict
with laws and who need care and protection within the society, a bench of Justices
Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Janak Raj Kotwal observed, while directing the government
to comply with provisions of J&K Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act
2013 and Rules of 2014. As per the Act, Juvenile Justice Boards consists of a judicial
magistrate and two social workers. What is seen that till date neither the Act nor Rules
have been implemented on the ground. The purpose to be achieved under the Act or

Rules instead of being accomplished stands frustrated, the court further said, and
reminded the government that it was duty-bound to comply with the law made by it.
E-CURFEW:
The unprecedented blanket ban on internet services in Jammu & Kashmir once again
brought to fore the absence of substantive democracy for the people who are used to the
government imposing draconian curbs from time to time. Even during the festival of
Eid-al-Azha the government displayed sheer non-application of mind by snapping
internet connectivity which amounted to infringement on basic rights of the people.
People in Kashmir were cut off from the digital world and this e-curfew can be described
as a virtual curfew.
During this year fixed-line Internet services were withdrawn for the first time since they
were introduced in Kashmir a decade ago. This blanket ban on internet services in
Jammu and Kashmir was totally unconstitutional and violation of basic and
constitutional rights of citizens of the state. Imposing any kind of ban on freedom of
expression or on freedom of speech is highly objectionable and is unconstitutional and it
also infringes the rights of persons. It is also against fundamental rights, legal rights and
constitutional rights.
It is worth mentioning here that Internet has become now an important part of life and
its deliberate interruption violates all rights of citizens. Such a ban in contemporary
times amounts to violation of basic rights of people. By snapping internet services the
government violated the right to information, right to knowledge, right to be informed,
right to trade, right to education, right to travel, right to accessibility to internet edition
of newspapers, right to employment and right to morality and ethics of the citizens of
the state.
PROBES AND INQUIRIES:
The process of probes and inquiries is nothing new to Kashmir. After every hue and cry
on civilian killings the government orders probes that have negligible results in
delivering justice. Ordering inquiries has just become a ritual and these inquiries are
neither completed nor made public. In fact the people of Kashmir do not have faith in
these inquiries and the fact of the matter is that not even once the inquiries or probes
conducted so far have led to the prosecution of any armed forces personnel. Even under
Commission of Inquiry Act, the State has never made the findings public or punished
the guilty and this makes one to conclude that probes are made not to punish but
protect the perpetrators. This candid admission in itself reveals that inquiries and
probes whenever ordered are just an eye-wash to gain time. They have only two
purposes to serve; one to cool down the tempers of people and second, to hoodwink the

international community and this is the reason that the word Inquiry is the most
discredited word in the Kashmir vocabulary in the past 26 years of human rights abuses.
During this year the state government has ordered at least Eight inquiries into killings
and other human rights cases. Out of these Eight inquiries six inquiries were
ordered by the present collation government while as other two inquires were
ordered during the Governors rule. However, these inquires havent yielded any
results so far.

The first inquiry was ordered by the government in February this year into the
killing of a youth Farooq Ahmad Bhat, 20, who was killed on February 9 in forces
action in Palhallan area of north Kashmirs Baramulla district. The then Deputy
Commissioner Baramulla, ordered the investigation and appointed SubDivisional Magistrate Pattan as the inquiry officer.

Second inquiry was ordered by Deputy Commissioner Kupwara on February 11

into the alleged custodial killing of Nazir Ahmad Mughal of Gujjar Pati village of
Zirhama, Kupwara.

Third inquiry was ordered in May after the killing of Suhail Ahmad Sofi of Narbal
Budgam in police firing. Deputy Commissioner Budgam ordered a magisterial
probe into the incident. Additional Deputy Commissioner was appointed as the
inquiry office and asked to submit his report in 15 days. So far, the probe has not
been completed.

In February this year, Army claimed to have killed seven suspected militants in
Dardpora forests of north Kashmirs Kupwara district in an encounter. Later,
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara Kumar Rajiv Ranjan nominated Additional
District Magistrate Kupwara, who is also the district Assistant Commissioner
Revenue (ACR), as the inquiry officer and directed him to conduct a probe into
the Army claims as per guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission.
The inquiry officer was asked to submit the report in seven days, but hasnt done
so till date.

Another inquiry was ordered by the Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on
June 15 into civilian killings in north Kashmirs Sopore. Six persons were killed
by unknown gunmen in different parts of Sopore.

Another inquiry was ordered on August 11 after Border Security Force (BSF) shot
dead Bilal Ahmad Bhat of Pulwama in South Kashmir. Bilal was killed when BSF
soldiers opened fire on protestors in Malangpora area of the district. The
Government ordered a time-bound inquiry into the killing and Additional
Deputy Commissioner was asked to probe the incident.

Yet another inquiry was ordered into the killing of Gowhar Nazir Dar of HMT
Srinagar on November 7.

The latest inquiry was ordered on November 16, when five persons, including a
woman, were severely beaten up and tortured by Armys 44 RR and SOG of police
in Chuntmulla village in Bandipora district. Deputy Commissioner Bandipora
ordered an inquiry into the incident to be conducted by ACR Bandipora, and also
directed the police to register an FIR.

ARRESTS:
Arbitrary use of the Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act (PSA), nocturnal raids,
arrests, illegal confinement and frequent crackdown on voices of dissent continued to be
a state tool this year as well. Ahead of the Eid-ul-Adha, a stealthy and unprecedented
police crackdown played out. Hundreds of Kashmiris, including butchers, were arrested
during nocturnal raids across the valley and all the pro freedom leaders were either
jailed or confined to their homes. There was no respite for the Kashmiri youth from
arrests and raids during this year as well. The nocturnal raids created panic among the
youth and they were forced to go in hiding which affected their education, employment
and day to day life.
During this year as many as 120 rallies of government, semi government employees and
unemployed youth protesting for their job regularizations, pending salaries, incentives
etc were dispersed forcefully by the police and hundreds of such protesters were taken
into custody. Even on World Disability Day, December 3, police foiled the protest
march of Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Welfare Association (JKHWA) and
detained scores of physically challenged members of the organization who tried to
march towards Divisional Commissioners office for pressing their demands.
In November, authorities imposed a massive crackdown on the pro freedom activists
and leaders on the eve of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modis visit to the Valley.
Around 1000 persons were detained or put under house detention without any charge.
Restrictions were imposed, soldiers in large numbers patrolled the streets of Srinagar
city and barriers were set up restricting the movement of pedestrians and vehicles
drastically.
According to an Amnesty International report the implementation of the PSA is often
arbitrary and abusive, with many of those being held despite having committed no
recognizably criminal acts. During this year, number of persons were booked under
Public Safety Act (PSA) and it remained tool of the present state regime as well. For
example Auqaf president Fayaz Ahmad who was detained by police during a nocturnal
raid from his residential house in Bugam village of South Kashmirs Kulgam district was

booked under Public Safety Act and was shifted to Kathua jail Jammu on 02-12-2015.
PSA was slapped on Fayaz Ahmad Rather for leading funeral prayers of a militant and
he was booked vide FIR number 224/2015 under section 147,148,149,336,307 of RPC.
Similarly on a dossier by police, on 3-12-2015 the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla
ordered detention under PSA, of the three youths of Palhallan Pattan for their
participation in protests. The youth were identified as Adil Ahmad Gojri son of Lal
Mohammad, Nazir Ahmad Gojri son of Mohammad Sadiq of Gojri Mohalla Palhallan
and Basit Ahmad Peer son of Ghulam Mohammad Peer of Raypora Palhallan. All of
them were arrested in connection with an FIR no. 116/2015 u/s
147,148,149,336,427,307RPC. The trio were booked under PSA No. 02/DMB/PSA/2015.
While Adil was shifted to Kathua, Basit and Nazir were lodged in Srinagars Central Jail
and Kupwara Jail respectively. It is important to mention here that lodgment of all these
persons was against Supreme Court direction whereby a detainee has to be lodged in a
jail nearby his residence.
Such oppressive methods, arbitrary use of PSA, arrests, illegal detentions, nocturnal
raids, harassment, chocking the voices of dissent and suppressive approaches adopted
by the government is a bizarre violation of human rights.
TORTURE:
India is one of the few countries which has not ratified the convention against torture.
Understandably keeping in view its record in Kashmir where Torture is a daily routine.
People are beaten at the slightest provocation and torture remains a state policy to
subjugate and suppress the masses. But due to fear and reprisal from the state forces,
only few victims spoke out about their custodial torture.
In the month of November, four persons were subjected to torture by the troops of
Armys 44 RR and SOG of police during the course of search operations at Chuntimulla
forest of Bandipora, resulting in injuries to them. When residents asked the Army men
to release the detained youth they reacted with batons and were severely thrashed.
Three victims, Sakina Bano, Ghulam Hassan and Javid Ahmad, were severely injured
and were hospitalized. The incident triggered protest by agitated villagers and an
inquiry was ordered by the Deputy Commissioner Bandipora and an FIR under number
161/ 2015 has also been registered against army in this regard.
In the month of May the Army let loose a reign of terror in Ladoo area of the district
Pulwama. The army personnel were forcing local people to report in their camp after
snatching identity cards from them and after visiting the camp people were harassed
and subjected to questioning regarding the movements and presence of militants. While
a few residents were physically tortured for not reporting in the army camps.

10

A minor namely Umar Mushtaq Untoo was from Sopore was nabbed by the police while
taking part in protests in Palhallan on October 27 and was lodged at police station
Pattan, Sub jail Baramulla and SOG Camp for nearly a fortnight, in gross violation of
law. According to Umars father Mushtaq Ahmad a laborer, Umar was detained for five
days in the SOG Camp at Pattan where he underwent brutal mental and physical torture
and then he was shifted to Sub-Jail Baramulla from where court sent him to Juvenile
home.
On November 8, Owais Farooqi a journalist and reporter who works for a local news
paper was arrested by police while performing his professional duties in Gulshan Chowk
area of Bandipora. According to Owais Farooqi police dragged and bundled him in the
vehicle till he was put in the lockup. Instead of allowing me to perform my professional
duties I was arrested and tortured badly alleged Owais, who was later released only
after the intervention of senior Police Officers.
Serious allegations of torture came to fore on October 16, according to which a man in
south Kashmirs Kokernag area was allegedly tortured for three days in police custody in
order to force him to sign papers claiming his brother has joined militant ranks.
According to a media report, 28-year-old Bashir Ahmad Wani, a former militant, went
missing after appearing for hearing in a case at the Anantnag District Court on October
o1, 2015. Since then, he didnt return home but after few days a police party from police
station Kokernag picked up Bashirs younger brother, Mudasir Ahmad Wani, and
shifted him to JIC Anantnag for interrogation. I was beaten for three days. The police
pressurised me to sign papers that my brother has joined militants. I refused because I
have no knowledge about my brothers whereabouts, alleged Mudasir. He further
alleged that I cant ruin my brothers life by signing the papers. We are worried about
his safety, but the police is harassing us. Instead of tracing my brother, they are asking
me about his whereabouts, while expressing the fear that he may again be called by
the police.
Recently there were allegations of arbitrary arrest and torture against Special
Operations Group of police in North Kashmirs Sopore. Riyaz Ahmad Bhat son of Khalil
Bhat of Sadipora, Sopore, was allegedly picked up by Special Operation Group (SOG)
personnel in civvies when he was returning home after offering evening prayers on
December 23, and was bundled in a Santro car. The family immediately filed a report at
Sopore police station and next day they came to know from local police that Riyaz has
been picked up by SOG Sopore for questioning about some matter. Riyaz was released
on December 25, after being detained at SOG camp Sopore. They beat me up and asked
me about some three women who they said had been seen coming out of our home. I
had no idea of what they were asking me. They beat me up intermittently and I was

11

handed over to local police station where my family members took me to a private clinic
as my hands and knees had been injured badly, alleged Riyaz a business man and head
of the local Mohalla committee.
USE OF PEPPER GAS:
The continuous use of purported non-lethal weapons in volatile Kashmir valley has
been causing serious injuries, and death, to civilians. The latest trouble for people of the
valley, which has been described as a collective punishment, is the use of pepper gas
shells by the police to disperse the protesting crowds. The rampant use of non-lethal
pepper gas is taking a heavy toll on the health of people in affected areas and is
becoming deadly for people in Kashmir especially in the densely populated areas of
Srinagar and the policemen and paramilitary troopers, who fire these deadly chemicals,
also put their health and lives in danger. This non-lethal weapon is becoming deadly
for people particularly elderly, children and those having asthma and other respiratory
problems.
During this year the Government Chest Disease Hospital Srinagar has witnessed a rush
of patients particularly from old city with complaints of chest ailments due to exposure
to pepper gas in their localities. Most of these patients were elderly people, children and
those suffering from asthma and also policemen who constantly fire pepper gas and tear
smoke canisters at people. According to the doctors at the Chest diseases hospital,
almost 90 percent of the patients arriving in the hospital suffer from Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD). Mostly babies and old age people visit
hospital as their lungs are too weak to resist this harmful gas.
Despite public outrage and a medical report linking its serious health complications, the
indiscriminate use of pepper gas for dispersing crowds continues in Kashmir. Report
compiled by the doctors of SKIMS Soura, Srinagar, titled Effects of pepper grenade
explosions on non-combatant bystanders found that 97 per cent of people visiting the
hospital after exposure to pepper gas reported irritation of airways. Published in
different international medical journals the report further states that one fatality also
occurred in a close temporal relation to the use of pepper gas and states Exposure to
pepper grenade explosions leads to severe toxic collateral symptoms in non-combatant
bystanders who not infrequently require medical attention. Long-term effects of
exposure remain unclear and need to be studied. the report further states.
According to the report some people experiencing symptoms were present as away as a
half a kilometer radius from the site of pepper gas shelling.
The effects as reported by the experts clearly indicate that pepper gas is a less lethal
variant of the family of Chemical Weapons.

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STUN GRENADES OR FLASH-BANGS:

Stun grenade, also known as Flash Grenade or Flashbang is a recent addition to the
brutal non lethal vocabulary of the state to suppress the descent. Flash-bangs, on
explosion, create a bright burst of light and an intensely loud noise, temporarily
numbing the senses. Touted as non- lethal these grenades can cause severe injury
or death if targeted at a human body from close range.
In October 2015, a 9-year-old kid Aamir Bilal suffered serious burn wounds when he fell
prey to this non lethal weapon of the repression. A stun-grenade fired by the
police in Saraf Kadal Srinagar, had come his way and it exploded near him. The
fumes of it had gone into the respiratory track; his eyes also got affected. But major
damage was on the face and arms.
On 23-10-2015, one more youth from old city suffered serious burn injuries in the right
arm and in the same month one more youth from old city of Srinagar suffered burn
injury in right side of the body due to stun-grenades. Both youth avoided going to
government hospital and instead they were treated in private clinics.
PRISONERS:
Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Tihar and different Indian jails continue to suffer from
feeling of deprivation and helplessness. The condition of prisoners in these jails is
deplorable and they suffer extraordinary ordeals. They arent able to meet their lawyers
and receive proper medical care.
The situation has become so bad for the Kashmiri prisoners that many of them went on
a hunger strike for several days during this year, protesting against an order by the
Director General (Prisons), restricting the rights of the High Risk Ward (HRW)
prisoners. In a petition to the Delhi High Court, they alleged that malpractices and
inhuman treatment were meted out to them by jail authorities.
A Kashmiri prisoner lodged in Tihar Jail Delhi, 26-year-old, Dr Wasim Akram Malik
suffered Bells Palsy paralysis of the facial nerve during judicial custody. Even after
the Special National Investigating Agency Court directed the Tihar jail officials to
medically examine the prisoner at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS),
the jail authorities had reportedly brushed aside the order. During this year more than
once, the Kashmiri prisoners lodged in Tihar went on hunger strike in protest against
the atrocities committed on them by jail authorities. Similarly the prisoner of the SubJail Baramulla also went on hunger strike for several days against the unwanted delay
caused in their cases. Because their cases were not being heard in Baramulla Session
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Court due to the absence of the Public Prosecutor since October 2014. The prisoner were
being punished for the absence of the Public Prosecutor and their detention was getting
prolongated unnecessarily and they were being punished for none of their fault.
In fact, most of the Kashmiri inmates lodged in different jails of the sate and outside are
under trials and they are facing the tyranny of legal system. They have complaints that
they are being subjected to the tyranny of the legal process which is going on endlessly
without any fault of theirs. The jail authorities are also not producing these accused
persons regularly before the courts on the dates of hearing for one reason or the other,
most of the inmates due to lack of escort miss their date of hearing in the courts as a
result of which their cases get protracted. The jail manuals are not implemented in
letter and spirit and this has adversely affected the health of the inmates.
It is worth mentioning here that the U.S. State Department in its Executive Summary
of India 2014 Human Rights Report, released in the last week of June 2015, said that
the detainees under Public Safety Act (PSA) in Jammu and Kashmir were denied
medical attention and access to lawyers by law enforcing agencies and that the police
routinely used the arbitrary detention."Detainees are allowed access to a lawyer during
interrogation, but police in Jammu and Kashmir routinely employed arbitrary detention
and denied detainees, particularly the destitute, access to lawyers and medical
attention," the State department said in its report.
Therefore, human rights groups and other organizations must take strong note of the
happenings and come to the rescue of prisoners. The role of the International
Committee of the Red Cross, National Human Rights Commission and other
organizations vis--vis the Kashmiri prisoners has not been up to the mark. While the
ICRC has a limited mandate, the NHRC does not take note of the deplorable condition
of the Kashmiri prisoners. Amnesty International, which owes its birth to an article by
Peter Benenson in 1961 to defend prisoners, has also remained tight liped in this regard.
USE OF TEAR GAS:
In the 100 years since it was first developed, tear gas, advertised as a harmless
substance, has often proven fatal, asphyxiating children and adults, causing
miscarriages, and injuring many. Its manufacturers and users may describe it as a nonlethal technology but it is a chemical weapon, banned for use in war. Yet while tear gas
remains banned from warfare under the Chemical Weapons Convention, its use in
civilian policing grows. Tear gas remains as effective today at demoralizing and
dispersing crowds as it was a century ago, turning the street from a place of protest into
toxic chaos. In this way, tear gas offers the police a cheap solution for social unrest. But
rather than resolve tensions, it deepens them. This weapon of repression can cause

14

suffocation, serious respiratory problems and miscarriage, and tear gas canisters
themselves can be deadly when fired at protesters.
The human-rights organization Amnesty International has listed tear gas as part of the
international trade in tools of torture.
Kashmir is the most haunted place of tear gassing, here hundreds have been critically
injured while number of persons became handicapped due to tear gas canisters fired by
the state forces. Some deaths are also attributed to this weapon.
In 2015, tear gassing continued to remain cheap solution for government forces to deal
the civilian protests. Besides suffocation and other problems, several critical injuries
were also reported during this year. For example on October 21, one youth was critically
injured when he was hit in his head by a teargas shell fired by the state troops at
Bijbehara in South Kashmir on October 23, another youth got injuries to his hand by
teargas shell during protests at Shopian.
12-year-old boy was critically injured on June 26, when tear gas shells fired by the
government forces landed into the premises of Srinagars Historic Grand Mosque
(Jamia Masjid). The injured boy was operated at SMHS Hospital for critical injury to his
abdomen. Similarly, on November 7, a youth namely Shahnawaz Ahmad from Palhallan
got critical head injury at Palhallan when a teargas canister fired by the government
forces hit him.
RIGHT TO TRAVEL:
The right to travel is guaranteed under Article 12 of the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights, 1966, which India has signed and ratified. Under the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, Everyone has a right to leave any country, including his
own, and to return to his country.
But the authorities here are denying the Right to Travel to the subjects of Kashmir and
issuing passport to innocent citizens is projected as security-risk. According to
estimates tens of thousands have had travel documents withheld on flimsy grounds and
decisions to withhold passports are arbitrary and widespreadimpacting huge numbers
of innocent people. There are Hajj aspirants, ailing people seeking better medical
facilities, unemployed youth seeking overseas jobs, and many others who are the victims
of this discrimination. Denial of passport has choked the space for a common Kashmiri.
It has blocked their overseas avenues of employment and education.
According to the latest information provided by the Passport Office Srinagar in response
to our RTI applications, the Chief Public Information Officer, Passport Office, Srinagar
states that 33,000 (Thirty Three Thousands) applications of applicants seeking
passports were pending / awaiting reports from the concerned offices as on June, 2015.

15

29 (Twenty Nine) cases were subjudice before the Honble High Court of J&K at
Srinagar and 48(Forty Eight) cases were pending for applicants responses. While as
refusal orders had been issued against 37 (Thirty Seven) passport applications/forms as
on 29-7-2015.
Those who have been denied passports also include leaders from resistance camp. For
example Chairman All Parties Hurriyat (Fredom) Conference, Mirwaiz Dr. Mohammad
Umar Farooq, has been denied passport for the last three years which is a blatant
infringement of the Right to Travel of a person.
ENFORCED DISAPPERANCES, CUSTODIAL KILLINGS & FAKE
ENCOUNTERS:
Although the numbers of enforced disappearances, Extra Judicial Killings and Fake
Encounters taking place have come down but disappearances of three persons from
Kupwara in the month of December and alleged custodial killing of Nazir Ahmad
Mughal of Gujjar Pati village of Zirhama, Kupwara in the month of Febraury, clearly
serves as pointer that such phenomenon are still continuing.
On November 17, three men from Kupwara Ghulam Jeelani Khatana (42), Mir Hussain
Khatana (45) and Ali Muhammad Sheikh (40),went missing after being called by a
Territorial Army (TA) man of 160 Battalion from their respective houses. The families of
these disappeared persons approached the camp of TA at Hiri, then police stations of
Kralpora and Trehgam Kupwara. When nothing substantial happened the families
approached the court at Kupwara. The army and government claimed that they would
investigate the matter and on December 16, Army announced that it is probing the
disappearance of three persons. Although the soldier of TA has been arrested and
continues to be under police custody but the fact of the matter is that the move comes in
the wake of apprehensions regarding the fate of the three civilians with fake encounters
being a regular feature in Kashmir and mystery behind the disappearance of the three
Kupwara residents has revived fake encounter ghosts wherein they are passed off as
genuine gunfights involving militants.
Similarly an Inquiry was ordered by Deputy Commissioner Kupwara on February 11 into
the alleged killing of Nazir Ahmad Mughal of Gujjar Pati village of Zirhama, Kupwara in
police custody, who according to his family was arrested by the Police on February
06, and was in police custody in case FIR no 76/2014 under section 364,302/ RPC of
Police Station Trehgam.
In another case, according to media reports, the family members of two SPO-turnedmilitants killed by the forces in forests of Doda, demanded high-level probe into the
claims about rejoining of militancy by duo and also apprehended foul play in the

16

encounter. Earlier the forces claimed to have killed two militants, who had escaped with
their service rifles on September 8 this year from Doda and allegedly rejoined militancy.
Farooq Ahmed, elder brother of one of the slain Mohammed Riaz expressed doubt about
his brothers rejoining militancy and killing too. Refuting police claims and his
apprehensions about the killing he said the dead cannot speak out what happened with
them. It is the government which can order probe so that families come to know about
the facts, he added.
A close relative of another slain person Gul Mohammed, pleading anonymity alleged
We thought they were sent on a mission by the forces but their killing has created
apprehensions. Rejoining militancy is a mystery which needs to be probed, he
demanded, while apprehending a foul play.
Similarly in the month of April, regarding the killing of a civilian identified as Khalid
Muzaffar Wani of Tral who was killed on April 13, army claimed that he was an over
ground worker working for his militant brother. In this regard an army official said. It
were militants who started firing and during the initial onslaught from the militants one
of our soldier was badly wounded. The three friends of Khalid were little far away when
the exchange of fire took place while Khalid was present with his militant brother
Burhan and was killed during the encounter, adding that the SOP was followed
properly during the operation. However, initially the police on ground denied having
received any inputs, casting suspicion over the whole story and Khalids family also
refuted the army statement.If my son was killed in an encounter, why his body didnt
bear a bullet wound, asks Khalids father Muzaffar Ahmad Wani. It was a custodial
killing. I looked at every inch of his body, from toe to head, and there was no bullet mark
on his body, Wani said. He was tortured. All his teeth had been damaged, his nose was
broken and his forehead and skull too were broken, perhaps by gun butts. His only fault
was that he was brother of a militant.
During these allegations, apprehensions, claims and counter claims or statements there
is no deterrent in place to check fake encounters, extra judicial killing and
disappearances which have been used as short-cut method to earn promotions and
medals. Although investigations have been ordered from time to time to look into the
role of armed forces in the various fake encounters, extra judicial killing and
disappearances but such probes do not infuse much optimism among people now. Even
when the probes are ordered, the agencies are not able to ensure that the investigations
are impartial and exemplary punishment is given to the culprits. Therefore, an impartial
probe by some international body in all such cases in the valley in which there are strong
allegations against the government forces of killing of innocent persons to earn
promotions and gallantry awards.

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VIOLATION OF RELIGIOUS RIGHTS:

It is indeed a travesty and a sad saga that as human rights have advanced all over the
world, in Kashmir, these have regressed. From fake encounters, extra judicial killing and
custodial disappearances to lethal weapons and internet blockade, human rights are
abused in Kashmir every single day. The freedom of religion which is guaranteed by the
international law and declaration on elimination of all forms of intolerance and
discrimination based on religion or beliefs is violated in Kashmir by the state. This year
too, the government imposed ban on carrying Muharram procession on 8 th and 10th
Muharram around Lalchowk area in flagrant violation of the international and domestic
law which amounts to denial of religious freedom. Although the state is bound to
facilitate the religious practices of its citizens but the state used brute force to disperse
the Muharram processions taken out around Lalchowk area on 8 th and 10th Muharram.
Similarly due to imposition of repeated curfews, the congressional Friday prayers at
Kashmirs Historic Grand Mosque (Jamia Masjid) could not be offered at least eight
times during this year. Although as per the international and constitutional guarantees
the religious sensitivities should have been seriously considered by the state but in
contrary to this, on June 26 and December 4 the state forces while dispersing the street
protests fired tear smoke shells and Pepper Gas directly into the premises of Jamia
Masjid (Grand Mosque) resulting in suffocation and injuries to several devotees inside
the mosque. While Syed Ahmad Sayeed Naqashbandi, Imam at Kashmirs grand
mosque, was shifted to hospital on December 4, when he was coming out of the mosque
and he felt acute suffocation and breathlessness caused by the Tear smoke and Pepper
gas fired by the forces.
VILLAGE DEFENCE COMMOITTEES (VDCs):
The demand for disbanding Village Defense Committees (VDCs) is increasing from
almost all quarters of public opinion following recent killings of civilians VDC
members. The VDCs were created during Governors rule in 1995. According to
official figures, there are over 26500 VDC members operating in 10 districts of
Jammu and Leh district of Ladakh region.
If rationale of the Supreme Court judgment on Chattisgarh (in the case of Nadini
Sarkar) is taken on account, in which Supreme Court of India declared out sourcing of
Policing to private mercenaries unlawful, the JK Government should have followed the
suit by disbanding VDCs. Since their formation VDCs have been indulging in many
social crimes. They are involved in extortion, kidnapping, molestation and even rapes.
VDCs, that comprise mostly non-Muslims, have been unleashing terror on muslim
population in the areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch.
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This year also witnessed a reign of terror unleashed by VDCs. For example on July 30,
an Army personnel and a Village Defense Committee (VDC) member was arrested for
firing shots, triggering panic and terror among the people in Rajouri district of Jammu
and Kashmir.
A village Defence Committee (VDC) member namely Vinod Sawhiney of Gohlad
Mendhar fired several shots in aerial from his rifle at his home on August 9. The firing
created panic and fear among local residents after which a police party rushed to the
spot and immediately seized his rifle. The said VDC man was detained by police.
On November 15, a child, identified as three-year-old Omeshwar, son of Ranjeet Singh, a
resident of Narla Bambal village of Rajouri, died when he was hit by a bullet from a gun
which belonged to childs relative who works as a member of the village defence
committee (VDC) in his native village
In the month of December, Ishtyaq Ahmed (26) was shot dead by VDC member Kewal
Sharma in Potha village of Kalakote Tehsil of Rajouri district after the duo had an
altercation over distribution of ration.
In yet another shocking incident on December 24, a VDC member Mushtaq Ahmad
opened fire upon mother Shamima Akhter and her 4-year-old son Towheed Ahmad at
Budhal area of Rajouri district and killed both of them.
Although Government itself has admitted the misuse of arms by VDCs and during the
State Assembly session on March o3 this year, Government revealed that 197 cases have
been registered against the VDC members in Jammu province, out of which, 03 cases
have been closed as non-admitted, 02 cases as un-traced, 190 have been challaned and
02 cases are under investigation. But the question is why government isnt disbanding
this killer force called VDCs despite having huge presence of forces in the State.
HARASSMENT OF KASHMIRIS INSIDE & OUTSIDE KASHMIR:
Harassment, frisking crackdown are such atrocities which Kashmiris have been facing
inside and outside Kashmir since years and continued even in 2015. Frequent cordons
and search operations in the city's commercial hub Lal Chowk, its adjoining areas and
frisking of local population continued this year as well.
In latest form of forced labour, each night the taxi drivers of north Kashmirs Kreeri
were required to send one vehicle to the 29 Rashtriya Rifles camp for use by the Army
without any payment. The spate of recent killings by unidentified gunmen in north
Kashmir left taxi drivers in scare as they feared that their vehicles which were being
used for counter-insurgency operations, will make them suspects in the eyes of
militants.

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August 14, an Army party from Sharifabad camp detained three youth from Lawaypora
locality after they allegedly made a graffiti urging people to observe August 15 (Indias
Independence Day) as Black Day. After questioning, the youth were immediately
released by the Army. But after a few days the same Army party led by the same officer
caught hold of one of the youth Waheed Ahmed Malik son of late Abdul Razak and took
him to a nearby paddy field. He was ordered to pose for photographs along with their
service rifles. After taking photographs the officer threatened Waheed of dire
consequences. A complaint against the army officer was also registered by the locals in
the concerned police station.
In the month of November the inhabitants of at least 20 villages in Hayhama area of
north Kashmirs Kupwara district suffered for 27 days due to an army operation against
the presence of suspected militants in the area. Curfew-like restrictions were clamped in
around 20 villages. Normal life in the villages including Glassdaji, Manigah, Hajinaka,
Birambal, Sabhaya and Soniwali, Sohipora, Shatpora, Mirnag and Hummandar got
badly disrupted due to harassment of villagers by army and police on the pretext of
presence of militants. Innocent population, mostly youths, were confined to their
houses. During the operation the education of children also got badly affected due to
continuous siege.
There were serious allegations of harassments against the police by the pellet injured
persons and their families during their treatment at different hospitals. According to the
families the cops and other government agencies posted at hospitals questioned and
harassed them and due this fear number of injured avoided government hospitals and
preferred private clinics and hospitals for treatment of the injured persons.
Mal treatment and harassment meted out to Kashmiri students outside Kashmir in
different states of India also remained unchanged. This mindset especially in parts of
northern India has been created by the biased and jingoistic propagation by a section of
Indian media. In the month of January, Kashmiri students at Ganga Institute of
Technology and Management, Jajjar Haryana, faced harassment and intimidation for
being Kashmiris. This is not an isolated incident, in September, Kashmiri students
studying in an institute at Udhaipour Rajasthan were also attacked and harassed. Such
incidents also happened in NIMS University, Rajasthan, Maharana Pratap Group of
Institutions (MPGI), Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and other places where Kashmiri students
were either beaten up or detained for involvement in violent clashes with non-Kashmiri
students.

STATE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (SHRC):

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After being constituted in 1997, for safeguarding human rights in the state, SHRC has
remained headless from time to time. The SHRC, which is quasi-judicial government
body has a designated strength of five members, including its chairman.
Inspite of its oft-repeated assertions about strengthening SHRC, the commission has
been rendered defunct by the government since June 28, 2014, when its remaining two
members completed their term. The commission continues to remain headless and
without the required strength. Since then the commission which has registered and
disposed off thousands of cases has neither a member nor a chairperson as on date. The
SHRC has become a lame duck, as a result, around 2200 cases related to human rights
abuses are pending with the commission. All the work at the commission, including
allotment of cases and routine administration, has come to a halt. The supporting staff
cannot deal with any case on their own in the absence of the chairperson and other
SHRC members. Although the commission is only a recommendery body but still it
provided a ray of hope to the victims of human rights abuses. However, due to non
seriousness of the State, people at large have been deprived of a redressal forum and the
Governments callous approach towards this issue has resulted in a general sense of
hopelessness.
But this is nothing new with this Commission, fact of the matter is that no formal
chairperson was appointed by the State since 2011 and that senior members were
designated as acting chairpersons and thus the non-serious approach of successive
governments has always affected the very basis of the institution for which it was set up.

Report compiled by:

Mannan Bukhari
Head
Human Rights Division (APHC)
Assisted by:
Mir Imran
Member - Human Rights Division (APHC)

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Annexure
Summary of civilian killings in year 2015
On January 01, 2015, New Year started with Indo-Pak fresh firing across ceasefire line
violated the ceasefire. However, there had been no reports of any casualties or damage
on either side of LOC. On January 06, more than 10,000 villagers were forced to leave
their homes along the border in Samba and Kathua sectors in Jammu District due to
relentless shelling by Indo-Pak Forces, causing a humanitarian crisis in the middle of a
hard winter. A total of 274 cease fire violations took place in 2015 between Indian and
Pakistani troops in J&K.
On February 09, one person was killed and two others injured when Police opened fire
on a group of protesters at Palhalan in Baramulla District. Three persons Farooq Ahmad
Bhat, Riyaz Ahmad Bhat and Zahid Ahmad Bhat were injured in Police firing and while
taking to the hospital Farooq Ahmad Bhat (23) alias Prince S/o Gulam Mohammad Bhat
succumbed to injuries.
On February 11, 22-year old man Nazir Ahmad Mughal of Gujjar Pati village of Zirhama,
Kupwara was killed in police custody.
On March 20-21, two civilians died when fidayeen squad of militants attacked a Police
Station in Kathua District.
On April 04, three people were killed and two sustained injuries in a mine explosion at a
forest area near the LoC in Saryam village in Nowshera of Rajouri District.
On April 13, one person identified as Mohammad Khalid Wani S/o Mohammad
Muzaffar Wani of Shariefabad, Tral was killed in Kamla forest area of Buchoo Tral in
South Kashmirs Pulwama District.
On April 18, another civilian Suhail Ahmad Sofi (15) S/o Abdul Ahad Sofi was killed in
Police firing at Narbal of Budgam District.
On May 04, unidentified gunmen shot dead a person, identified as Abdul Ahad Dar, a
resident of Astan Mohalla locality of Hazratbal, inside his house in Hazratbal area on
the outskirts of Srinagar.
On May 25, unidentified gunmen fired at a franchisee outlet of BSNL at Iqbal Market in
Sopore. Three employees of the BSNL franchisee were injured in the firing. One of the
injured, Mohammad Rafiq (26), later succumbed to his injuries.
On May 26, unidentified gunmen shot dead Ghulam Hassan Dar (60) in whose premises
a telecom tower was installed a resident of Dooru village on the outskirts of Sopore town
of Baramulla District.
On June 04, Jagjit Singh (24) was killed and five others were injured as protests against
removal of Bhindranwale's posters from a Sikh-dominated area in Jammu escalated. A
police bullet hit Jagjit Singh and killed him on the spot.
On June 09, unidentified gunmen killed Mohammad Altaf-ur-Rehman Sheikh (46), an
employee of Health Department, in Sopore town of Baramulla District.

22

On June 12, unidentified assailants killed Khursheed Ahmad Bhat (35), in the Sopore
area of Baramulla District.
On June 13, unidentified gunmen killed a youth, identified as Mehraj-ud-Din Dar (38),
in Sopore area of Baramulla District.
On June 15, two unidentified gunmen shot dead Aijaz Ahmad Reshi (35) Mundji
resident of Sopore town in Baramulla District.
On June 22, one civilian identified as Asif Ahmad Tantray was killed in an encounter in
Redwani Bala village of Kulgam District. Police said that he was hit by a stray bullet near
the scene of encounter.
On July 01, unidentified gunmen shot dead a village headman Muhammad Yusuf Bhat,
the 'numbardar' (village headman) of Wangam village in Pulwama District.
On July 10, a 53 year old shepherd Maqsood Ahmad from Rajouri found an explosive
device while grazing his cattle in the mountainous Drass area of Kargil District. While
Maqsood was fiddling with the device, it went off leaving him dead.
On July 15, unidentified gunmen shot dead Bashir Ahmed while he was coming out of a
mosque after offering prayers in Srinagar's Kulgam District.
On July 15, Poli Devi (42) was killed on spot after being hit by splinters of mortar shells
on border. A mortar shell exploded in the field at village Bhareth, where she was
working killing her instantly while Ramesh Lal (24), Usha Devi (38) and Surinder
Kumar (22), all residents of Bhalwal Bhareth were the civilians injured in shelling.
On July 25, one of the injured civilians identified as Mohammad Jabbar Wagay (50) of
Brenti Batapora, Anantnag District succumbed to injuries. He was injured when
unidentified gunmen hurled a grenade in Achabal Bus stand outside 164 Battalion of
CRPF.
On August 04, one civilian was killed in firing when Indo-Pak forces resorted to heavy
firing and shelling across cease fire line in Pargwal sector of Jammu District.
On August 06, two minors boys, 10 years old Bilal Ahmad Reshi, 11 years old Shakir
Ahmad Reshi both sons of Ghulam Hassan Reshi were killed and another Muzamil
Ahmad critically injured when an unexploded shell they found and were fiddling with,
went off in Baba Sualin area of Ganderbal district.
On August 15, In worst ever shelling between Indo-Pak forces for the past several years,
six civilians including a Sarpanch were killed and over 20 other civilians injured in
Balakote, Manjakote, Sabzian, Mandi, Mankot, Hamirpur and surrounding sectors in
Poonch and Rajouri Districts. The deceased were identified as Sarpanch Karamat
Hussain (52), Master Abdul Rehman (42), Mohammad Amin (18), Mohammad Sheraj
Khan (17), Moin Khan (10), Nusrat Bi (35) of Balakote sector in Poonch District.
On August 25, unidentified gunmen shot dead Javed Ahmad Khan (30), resident of
Khanday Pora, in South Kashmirs Awantipora area in Pulwama District.
On August 28, three civilians were killed in firing when Indo-Pak troops resorted to
heavy firing and shelling across the border RS Pura sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
On September 07, one person was killed firing along the border in Sabzian sector of
Poonch District.
23

On September 14, three persons were found dead in Pattan area in Baramulla District.
The locals found three bullet ridden bodies of Amir Reshi (17), Ashiq Wani (21), and
Naveed Ahmad Khan, in local orchards of Shutz Dangerpora village on Nihalpora-Wailo
road in Pattan area.
On September 18, unidentified gunmen shot dead Bashir Ahmad Bhat (38) son of
Ghulam Mohammad Bhat, and critically injured his 3-year-old son, Burhan, who was in
his lap, in Sopore area in Baramulla District.
On September 19, Burhan three year old succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS. He died
at 7am.
On Oct 19, Zahid Ahmad Bhat (19) of Anantnag in Kashmir died when their truck was
attacked by fanatic forces in Udampur on Oct 9-10 night. He was admitted in the
Hospital with 70% burn injuries.
On November 7, Gowhar Nazir Dar (22) S/o Nazir Ahmad Dar R/o Zainkot HMT an
engineering student was killed by CRPF on the day Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi visited Kashmir..
On November 15, a child, identified as three-year-old Omeshwar S/o Ranjeet Singh R/o
Narla Bambal village of Rajouri died when he was hit by a bullet fired by a gun
belonging to village defence committee (VDC) member.
On November 25, one civilian identified as Tanveer Ahmad was killed in cross-firing in a
long gunfight between militants and Indian forces in Tangdhar sector.
On December 14, unidentified gunmen killed Rasik Ahmad Khan S/o Gulam Hassan
Khan R/o Wasohallan Shopian.
On December 20, Ishtyaq Ahmed (26) was shot dead by a member of village defence
committee (VDC) Kewal Sharma in Potha village of Kalakote Tehsil of Rajouri district.
On December 23, three young brothers Vikar (15), Deepu (10) and Meheshu (7), sons of
Bola Ram of Ramban district presently living in Barmi area were killed in an explosion
in Udhampur.
On December 24, VDC (village defence committee) member Mushtaq Ahmad S/O Mohd
Sharief R/O Mohra Dhaveen village in Budhal area of Rajouri district opened fire upon
the mother and her 4-year-old son after barging inside her kitchen at Samote village.
The deceased have been identified as Shamim Akhter (35) W/O Mohammad Din and
Tawheed Ahmad (4).
Ends.

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