Indian army killed 3 labourers in a fake 2010 encounter and over 120 more civilians in the ensuing protests. PHOTO: FILE
Colonel Rajesh Kalia, the Defence spokesperson for Indian Army's northern command said the concerned 'encounter' occurred three years ago, and the decision to take action against the soldiers came after investigations over the incident had been completed.
The incident happened in the last week of 2010 in a village called 'Maazhil" in District Kupwara, Northern Kashmir. Local police had investigated the incident and filed cases against nine Indian soldiers plus two Kashmiris working for the Indian army.
The army conducted its own investigation though, headed by Brigadier Sanga.
Colonel Kalia said: "The people want rapid justice for the incident and our decision reflects their sentiments.'
When news of the sham encounter first broke in 2010, Kashmiris led large-scale protests against the killings for a long time. To quell the protests, Indian paramilitary troops and police fired at the protesters and shot dead over 120 civilians, injuring hundreds and arresting a large number of young boys as well.
A few months ago, the army conducted a two-week operation to hunt down suspected rebels in disputed Kashmir after a series of gunbattles in which at least eight alleged militants were killed.
Not the first fake encounter
BBC Urdu reported that in a separate incident in 2010, some time before the then US President Bill Clinton arrived in India for a visit, as many as 35 Sikh civilians were killed in an area in Northern Kashmir.
Subsequently, the Indian army claimed to have been in an 'encounter' in which they had killed the alleged terrorists from Pakistan who perpetrated the above incident. To quell the demonstrations, Indian paramilitary troops and police fired at the people, killing over 120 civilians, injuring hundreds and arresting thousands of young boys.
As official investigations disclosed later, though, the people killed by the Indian Army were innocent civilians, who were burned down alive inside their houses.
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@Akon: Kashmir is Kashmiri's. Sooner or later, it is coming!
@ Lala Jee: Our ancestors chose Islam over Hinduism for the reasons as sighted by “Dr. B. R. Ambedkar”, the first Law Minister of India, about Hindu religious philosophy. People who don’t know, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born Hindu and remained so till his late life and eventually converted from Hinduism to Buddhism along with his 500,000 followers
... Lala Jee have you noticed, Ambedkar said all that he did about Hinduism, converted and HE LIVED TO TELL THE TALE?
Apostasy, Fatwas ... he did not have to fear anything.
You know a very large majority of the people on this planet are non-Muslims and you mustn't believe that they are all bad people.
One would like to understand the background of your visceral hatred of the Hindus and India.
@VINOD brother your above three comments are awesome. but believe me no body is here to comprehend these things. they are the most educated class of pakistan and not like common people who has not access to internet and so not aware about the rest of the world, and the fact for them is what is said in madrsa and mosque. but still you will have no buyer for your logic.
@Asad Khan
"Unlike India, Pak Law enforcement forces are not occupying any land in Pak which comes under UN Mandate Resolution. " True in the case of India as well. As per the pact signed by the Maharaj Hari Singh, the whole of Kashmir belongs to India. In fact it is Pakistan that is occupying Indian territory. The Shimla agreement, signed by both India and Pakistan, talks about bilateral agreement between the 2 countries. There is no question of UN resolution after that agreement. But if you do want to insist on the UN resolution, you will find the first thing Pakistan is required to do is to move out its Army. Can you take that step?
"The terrorists are committing atrocities to all communities be it minority or majority, further, Pak gallant Law Enforcement personnel also been martyrdom while fighting against them." Again true for India as well. And in our case, proved time and again, aided and abetted by Pakistan.
ET@ either explain what is wrong or please publish
How many soldiers did Pakistan punish in regards to Bangla atrocities? Your country / people have no business of talking about human rights.
@Phoenix: The problems facing Pakistan is due to its founding ideology.
@Mirza:
Mirza you have still head on your shoulder Kadoos to your thoughts, atleast you kind of people are hope for your country.
"BBC Urdu reported that in a separate incident in 2010, some time before the then US President Bill Clinton arrived in India"
Really? Bill clinton US president in 2010???
@darbullah:
Did you read my comment? Let me condense it's salient features for you:
A. Military and police forces in South Asia have often used 'encounters' to legitimize their heavy-handed tactics - this news article highlights one of them, and it is refreshing to see that the perpetrators are undergoing a trial.
B. Pakistan vs. India: They're very similar on the human development index, I simply cannot see how India is significantly more developed than Pakistan.
C. Pakistan has a range of social and religious problems: most of which are linked to the 'War on Terror' - it's likely that things will change when the geopolitical situation improves. Things are rarely always the same, not in this fast-moving world.
Topi drama! And the world hungry for the Indian market will buy that just like it buys the drama of the US
@Asad Khan: Sorry to disappoint you, but Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, which includes all the Northen areas and what Pakistanis call "Azad", is territory under UN Mandate Resolution and Pakistan has no legal right to be there.
Salute to the Indian army for punishing the few bad apples among them. That's how great nations operate and not like some nations whose army specializes in abducting and disposing off its own citizens , who are then referred to as 'missing persons' while the courts look helplessly. remember if India was persecuting Kashmiri muslims , then they would have fled Kashmir , like all persecuted people do. However the only people who have fled Kashmir valley are Hindu Kashmir Pandits, the original inhabitants of Kashmir valley. That says it all. 90% of the police force in Kashmir Valley is Kashmir muslims. Think about it.
@ Lala Gee : Heard enough of your hateful rants . Tell me if this is not indiscrimination in today's Pakistan,then what is .
In Badin of date http://www.dawn.com/news/1076542/hindu-burial-in-muslim-graveyard-sparks-protests-in-badin
Another piece from Karachi http://www.dawn.com/news/1048494/hindu-grave-dug-up-near-karachi
Please get off your Moral high horse and smell some coffee
@Lala Gee:
They were in the wrong place at wrong time..Its not a smart thing to be throwing stones at men who have guns. Throwing stones is not a peaceful protest and like several developing countries India still does not have sophisticated means of riot control.
If you want to prove me wrong, why don't you take 40 of your friends and throw stones at Pakistani rangers and lets see if you live to tell the tale.
@Lala Gee: Any idea why ambedkar didn't convert to your religion? Buddhism is an Indian religion.
@Humbhitohain: That coming from people who converted at the first sighting of a sword?
@Phoenix:
In which country are the polio vaccination workers exterminated? In which country are the Ahmed is not allowed to bury their dead?
@darbullah: Believe me, I have. I know that there are very underdeveloped places across the country. But strictly with respect to India, I would argue that we're about the same, you'll find the same obscene wealth and the same grinding poverty whether in Kohat or in Karachi.
@Phoenix: Looks like you have never traveled to 70 percent of Pakistan.
"When news of the sham encounter first broke in 2010, Kashmiris led large-scale protests against the killings for a long time. To quell the protests, Indian paramilitary troops and police fired at the protesters and shot dead over 120 civilians, injuring hundreds and arresting a large number of young boys as well."
And who will provide justice to the 120 dead civilians shot by Indian Army?
@J T:
"Your ancestors chose to accept the invader’s religion out of fear, greed, or both."
Our ancestors chose Islam over Hinduism for the reasons as sighted by "Dr. B. R. Ambedkar", the first Law Minister of India, about Hindu religious philosophy. People who don't know, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was born Hindu and remained so till his late life and eventually converted from Hinduism to Buddhism along with his 500,000 followers (lets see how Indians now put blame on Aurangzeb for his and his followers conversion from Hinduism).
This is what "he says about Hinduism":
"Hinduism is a veritable chamber of horrors. The sanctity and infallibility of the Vedas, Smritis and Shastras, the iron law of caste, the heartless law of karma and the senseless law of status by birth are to the Untouchables veritable instruments of torture which Hinduism has forged against untouchables. These very instruments which have mutilated blasted and blighted the lives of the Untouchables are to be found intact and untarnished in the bosom of Gandhism."
In another place "he says":
"The Hindu Civilisation, gauged in the light of these social products, could hardly be called civilisation. It is a diabolical contrivance to suppress and enslave humanity. Its proper name would be infamy. What else can be said of a civilisation which has produced a mass of people who are taught to accept crime as an approved means of earning their livelihood, another mass of people who are left to live in full bloom of their primitive barbarism in the midst of civilisation and a third mass of people who are treated as an entity beyond human intercourse and whose mere touch is enough to cause pollution?"
@Asad Khan - "Unlike India, Pak Law enforcement forces are not occupying any land in Pak " Wake up dude... All the territory till Peshawar rightfully belongs to Afghans, but you're occupying it. Same with Baluchistan... How can you can miss this?
@midhat
Isn't Indian Army's court martial doing exactly that? What more do you want than Justice?
@K1
That is because the first part of the UN resolution talks about is pakistan army to move out of POK. Any takers in Pakistan for this? The second part of the resolution talks about not changing the demographics of Kashmir on both sides. India implemented Article 370 which means no one from India, outside of kashmir can settle down in Kashmir. Can Pakistan claim the same, since 47 there has been an influx of non kashmiris in POK. So if you really have a plabist then who would be voting, Kashmiris or outsiders? 3rd and most import Shimla agreement, which was signed by both Indian and Pakistan, states that the Kashmir issue will be resolved bilaterally between the 2 nations, there by nulling any UN resolution.
@juma: Should there be international investigation in Balochistan too?
Strong democratic country always have strong oversight on their military.Military cannot do everything in the name of state and security.Hope in future these incident will not occured if the crminal are punished acoording ther law.
India would have wanted to and will avoid plebiscite but had Pakistan fullfilled its requirements, India would have been forced to hold the plebiscite. Leaders of Pakistan should be held responsible for the current situation of Kashmir.
The resolution on Kashmir is invalid in any current context because 1. Demography of Pakistan-Kashmir has been altered 2. Simla Agreement decided that issue will be resolved bilaterally
@K1: India is not afraid of a Plebiscite in Kashmir. It would have been implemented had Pakistan followed the Pre-Conditions to the the plebiscite. Please read the resolution before posting such ill-informed comments. Read Page 4 of Resolution 47 of 1948.
Pakiatan uses helicopter gunships against its country men in Balochistan. UN should take note of it.
Why India is afraid of plebiscite in Kashmir (UN resolution) if they are true believer of democracy.
This is a news about Indian atrocities in kashmir yet somehow my indian troll friends brought Pakistan into it..not sure how you justify Indian army's massive human rights violations by bringing pakistan into it..admit what went wrong and stop justifying.
India may not be on top of any list, but its direction is just right. This court marshal proves this.
Yes - there are human right violations all over the country regardless of religion, caste, or language. The point is, if one chooses the right path, one will reach "there" eventually.
And this, my Pakistani friends, is the difference between your country and India.
At one time, we were equal. In fact, you were better than us. Now compare the two countries! In any field of your choice!
@HIndu: Had you written your comment on India's so-called development without massacring the English language, I would have taken it a bit more seriously.
Furthermore, you have never traveled to Pakistan and base your views of the country on news reports and biased historical narratives: you're not qualified to determine what makes a country successful or not. You're assuming Pakistan will remain static with respect to development, that's highly unlikely - things are pretty bad right now, they won't always be - Inshallah.
On the question of Kashmir, all I can say is that this culture of staging 'encounters' to legitimize military/police action is pervasive throughout South Asia. It happens in India, and in Pakistan, and it just shows how absolutely screwed up our sense of morality and justice is.
It's good to see that these soldiers are at least getting prosecuted for their actions.
@naeem khan Manhattan,Ks:
You sound like a reasonable Pakistani ...tell me why Freedom House reports shows Indian Kashmir as "partially-free" and Pakistani-Kashmir(aka azad Kashmir) as "not-free" for the last several years ..why?
@Someone: die of hunger saying that
Kashmir should either gain independence or it should stay with India.
Pakistan doesn't deserve Kashmir.
@HIndu: You obviously have never visited Pakistan :) that's the reason you think pakistan is as backward as your govt and your media wants you to think.
@Salman :"What can i say is your statment is ridiculous .All i can say people like you cant see Pakistan on map of world. because it is the only country in South Asia who break up the dream of India to become a super power of south asia"
Yes, by breeding terrorists. Sadly, it might work sometimes for Pakistan, but it has endedup destroying the country itself and has not done much harm to its intended target, that is India. Have a Merry Christmas (oops sorry, ignore that last line if you are a "true Pakistani Muslim").
@Humbhitohain: Let me disabuse you of some misconceptions. The outsider "muslims" ruled over us all, not just over the part that's now India. Now, the interesting part. Your ancestors chose to accept the invader's religion out of fear, greed, or both. You aren't arab/turkic/persian. And even if you personally are, the vast majority of Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Indian muslims aren't arab/turkic/persian. Stew over that, my friend.
It is the victory of justice and human rights and it should be welcomed by all. There are no such investigations let alone court martial in the "dead" countries where some are exempt from laws even in cases of high treason and extra judicial killings of thousands of people in their own country. We still celebrate Bengali terrorist Mollah as our hero let alone apologizing for atrocities and ethnic cleansing.
@Hindu ::: You possess extremist thoughts ,culprits like you always cook up hatred food "liten pakistanies if u want 2 c development and democracy…come 2 india… we will c u what is reality…..your country is unsuccesful country…you are like a imputation in world map "
What can i say is your statment is ridiculous .All i can say people like you cant see Pakistan on map of world. because it is the only country in South Asia who break up the dream of India to become a super power of south asia
@Hindu Development?? What is this? Slaving for the west? You were the same when muslims came and ruled over you and you are still doing the same and you call it development?
How is your stupid comment related to the article? Take the finger out of your backside, smell something different for a change and stop killing muslims in kashmir GOT IT!!!!!!!!!
Though the Indian army has always maintained very high standards in safeguarding human rights in Kashmir but a few such incidents do happen which one cannot be proud of. Punishing of guilty officials is the right step to ensure that such sad incidents do not happen again, and a lot has since been achieved as no such mis-happening has been reported during the past three years. Pak military needs to learn a lot from this Indian army example of transparency as militancy increases and becomes uncontrollable when innocent people are targeted by the security forces and the same is kept hidden from public and repeated again and again.
@Akon, kjjkkj: Doesn't matter what you think. Pakistanis reject India's occupation of Kashmir and will continue to treat Kashmir as a part of Pakistan.
liten pakistanies if u want 2 c development and democracy...come 2 india... we will c u what is reality.....your country is unsuccesful country...you are like a imputation in world map
Is this supposed to be news? Saddest part is our leaders inability to engage the world regards the brutal atrocities by the Indians - off course the world will only listen to the indian side of the story as they are slaving on behalf of the corporate wealthy masters - the irony in all this is when well meaning people speak of good relations they are reminded of the militancy - or the fake beheadings from pak etc...is it any wonder there isnt any more incursions?? Indian extremists have to stop the killing PERIOD - dont anyone dare point out the issues in Pak - you indians stop the killings!!!!!!!!!!!
Kashmir is 'Paradise Lost' for both the countries. The human rights abuses in Kashmir is too blatant with independent media quoting a figure of 97,000 people killed in the two decades. It is the people of Kashmir who should be given the right of self determination. Most of them want an independent status and don't want to align with either India or Pakistan.
I don't see any Indian trolls now, the ones who are paid to monitor Pakistani press and write some nasty comments. some of them has fake Muslim names, and this one person portray to be a major in Pakistani Army. Cowardice and shame has no bounds, I say how long the Indians will commit atrocities on the unfortunate people of Kashmir, Indians can not subjugate people in Kashmir perpetually and eventually these people will opt out from India, and if any Indian try to bring in Baluchistan into the picture, let me remind them that Baluchistan is not a disputed area internationally but Kashmir is and look up the international maps.
@Neo: "Think before speaking any thing on blog platforms..." Yes, Genius, exactly the same logic applies to you as well. Unlike India, Pak Law enforcement forces are not occupying any land in Pak which comes under UN Mandate Resolution. The terrorists are committing atrocities to all communities be it minority or majority, further, Pak gallant Law Enforcement personnel also been martyrdom while fighting against them.
The world knows every thing about Israel & India, it is just the Geopolitics weigh heavy on morals & justice.
regards,
@Jahangir: How many Pakistan military has court-martials have done for Balochistan brutal killings, how many Pakistanis have killed during operations in Swat, South Waziristan and other operations in FATA. The so called "independent media" and politicians are not saying on the brutal killing that Pakistan army has recently done in North Waziristan; many innocent civilians were killed in it. Pakistan media knows that if they do not report at all on it then international media will publish this news only so they report this incident but very less about how many innocent civilians were killed.
@Jahangir: How many court martial pak is going to do for missing persons, baloch freedom fighter s killing, shia s killing , Christians killing , Hindus killing... Think before speaking any thing on blog platforms , world knows everything about you guys ...
Is there any international investigation for innocent kashmiri and palestinean deaths shame on u.n.o and its so called civilized members....
@ Jahangir, well no one listens to Pakistan. Kashmir will be ours forever.
I appreciate Indian governments enquiery , that's how good nation react on human Rights violation's complaint. Just think about these kind of incident in Pak , non enq no report if the suffers is non Muslim . Non case too.