Raise your voice against militant violence: Azad

Srinagar, Aug 3: Asserting that protecting Human Rights of an individual was the primary duty of the government, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad asked people to raise their voice against militant violence.

''It is the primary duty of the government to ensure that Human Rights do not get violated from any quarter including the security forces,'' he said regretting that though people raise their voice against the security forces when they ''violate human rights advertantly or in-advertantly'' they chose to remain silent against the militants who have killed about 20000 people in the state.

He said government is determined to take cognizance of any violation committed by security forces.

The Chief Minister said rights violations have declined during last two years.

Giving year-wise details about Human Rights Violation incidents, the Chief Minister said that in 2004 there were nine custodial deaths, three custodial disappearances and 31 rape and molestation cases, where as in 2006 upto July two custodial killings, one custodial disappearence and two rape cases have been reported.

He said 50 people from Bandipora tehsil have been taken kept in custody for interrogation in militancy-related cases from January, 2006 the July 30.

However, 20 people have been detained under J&K PSA from January 2006 upto July this year and 17 people have been challaned while and 13 cases are under investigation.

He said family members of seven detenues represented for release or shifting of their wards which are under process with the concerned agencies.

He said steps would be initiated to expedite the investigation and set free the innocents.

He said whenever any case of rights violation has been proved against any security personnel befitting punishment under law has been awarded to the defaulters.

He said action has been taken against 209 security personnel including police who have been found guilty of violations. These include 28 gazetted officers.

UNI

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