Mehbooba holds press conference, demands probe on Surankote civilian killings

Mehbooba holds press conference, demands probe on Surankote civilian killings

Aman Zutshi

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday held a press conference and demanded a probe into the Surankote civilian killings in Peer Topi village in Poonch of December 23, in which three men who allegedly died in Surankote army camp during security forces interrogation after a terrible terror  assault claimed lives of four Indian army soldiers.

Responding to media persons, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, said:” A terrible incident took  place in Bufliaz in which several  of our jawans lost their lives and everyone grieved it because these people also have families and they get posted here to protect our borders.

“But what happened after the terrorist attack was very unfortunate. The police also went along with the army in the Topi  Peer village and picked up the innocent people who had no connection with terrorists because we all know that the people of Rajouri & Poonch have always helped Indian army in several wars since 1947”, she further said.

Reacting to the custodial killings of three men in Topi Peer Village in Bufliaz of Poonch, Mrs Mufti added: “The men were grabbed, thrashed, electrocuted by the army. One of the victim’s body was mutilated in such a way that after his demise his body was sewed to hold together his body parts and his father told us that he wanted to hug his son but he couldn’t as his son’s body was in pieces”.

“The army not only thrashed the civilians but also used chilly powder on body of one of  the men who was looking lifeless and also made the video viral to spread terror in the area to show what the security forces can do with the people”, she said.

“The injured men who were hospitalised in Rajouri said that they were beaten by SOG and police including army personnel, commenting on recent visit of Chief of Army staff General Manoj Pande & Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in Peer Topi village, she said: “Why there is unknown  FIR registered in these civilian killings even after the visit of Army chief and Defense Minister. Everything is visible in the viral video and the villagers are familiar  with the cops who came to their village”.

“If those people whether they belong to army or police go unpunished who are involved in these civilian killings  then how the aggrieved families will get justice. I was put under house arrest but yesterday night I was apprised that I can go to meet victim families because BJP President  Ravinder Raina and NC leaders were allowed to meet them”, she stated.

“When the women relatives of the deceased were pleading to the army to  leave their men  the security forces also threatened them saying they will tear apart their clothes and will do the same to them if they don’t go”, she alleged.

Reacting to yesterday’s police prevention in Surankote when PDP leaders  were detained, she said: The local administration sent several cops, batons as if we are militants we didn’t came from China or Pakistan, we were only going there to meet them. The administration want to hide these atrocities and  didn’t  want the women of deceased persons to cry their heart out to me”.

“I wanted to go to  Rajouri to meet the hurt persons and then from there I wanted to visit Shahdara  Sharif but I was apprised by the govt that there is cordon and search operation going  on so I can’t go there. I don’t know what they’re  trying to hide. I also visited the SDH Surankote where there are 8 people admitted and they have received no govt help”, she apprised.

“The soldiers  of 44 RR are still roaming in the village and the local police are still threatening the villagers of Topi Peer and the women  of the deceased wanted to meet me yesterday nor I was allowed to go to the village. There is someone called as Jaggi/ Jagga head of the territorial army and he has terrorised the villagers and he has said locals that he is going to Jammu and on his return he will teach them a lesson and I  don’t understand what else he can do because the people are already going through a storm”.

Replying to the Amshipora fake encounter, in which three youth from Rajouri district were killed in a staged gun battle on July 18, 2020, Mufti added, “I appealed earlier to LG Sinha and  again I appeal to him that what will be the result of  probe because when it came to fore that three youth from Rajouri were killed in fake encounter and the officer also confessed it but nothing happened after that. So many people have already been killed  here even where there is no  presence of militancy and earlier two people were also shot dead near army gate Falyana in Rajouri on December 16, 2022”.

“I request to LG sir to apprise Defense Minister to provide compensation of Rs 50 lacs to families of victims, jobs and plots on roadside in Surankote and the injured must be given  5 lacs each as they’re poor and lack earning hands. I also express thanks to media persons who covered us and went with us. This oppression against our mountainous people should never be repeated. The injured locals have told me that the SOG thrashed  them more than army. I also plea to LG sir to remove thicket of 48 RR in Peer Topi village because locals are afraid of them”, she demanded.