KPSS demands details of total casualties of militancy in 17 yrs

Srinagar, May 9 (UNI) The Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS) has appealed to separatists, government and Human Rights groups to come out with the details about the total casualties in the valley during the past 17 years of militancy.

The people of the Kashmir valley had every right to know how many Kashmiri Muslims, Pandits and others were killed during the turmoil period, Sanjay Kumar Tickoo, President of the KPSS, said here today.

He said conflicting reports about the casualties of Muslims, Pandits had created confusion among the minds of common people.

To end the allegations and counter-allegations between two communities in the valley, it was now necessary for everyone to help find the exact number of deaths, Mr Tickoo said.

He said the KPSS appealed to militants, separatist organisations, Human Rights groups, civil societies and government agencies to come foward so that truth of all killings, massacres and disappearances could be established in a proper way.

He said it was not one section of the agencies who were responsible for all killings or for that matter Human Rights Violations.

''Killings have taken place at those hands of Indian agencies, renegades, militants and in cross-firing at public places,'' he said.

He said different agencies had different figures about the number of casualties.

Mr Tickoo wanted to know the exact number of members of the minority community killed during the period.

''For their killings, it is not only one agency that has been involved which forced the minority community to leave the Valley,'' he said.

UNI BAS PK GC1620