Pay 1lakh to families of 2 victims in JK: SHRC

Srinagar, Apr 28: The Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the authorities to pay Rs one lakh each to the families of two persons--one killed by Special Task Force (STF) and another disappeared in custody-- in the Kashmir valley.

A single bench of the SHRC comprising chairman Justice M Y Kawoosa gave the direction on two separate petitions filed by the family members of the victims.

The commission also directed the government to provide employment under SRO 43 to one member of the family in each case.

A petition was lodged with the SHRC that one Mehraj-ud-Din Sheikh, son of Ghulam Muhammad Sheikh of Baranpathre Batamaloo, was picked up by the STF personnel of Humhama Camp in 2000.

He was later tortured to death during interrogation and his body was found at Kursoo Rajbagh Bund a few days after his arrest.

The petition alleged that no action was taken against the STF personnel though a complaint was lodged against them.

In another case, one Mohammad Muzaffar War, a resident of Warpora, Sopore, alleged that his son Saleem Ahmad War, a class 12 student was abducted by some unidentified gunmen in 1994.

Despite lodging an FIR and searching for him, his whereabouts could not be known, he said.

UNI