Register case against CRPF: SHRC directs J

Srinagar, June 29 (UNI) The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) today directed the authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to register a case against the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who allegedly killed a 17-year-old boy during a raid on timber smugglers in Akhnoor area.

Disposing off a case, SHRC Chairperson Justice M Y Kawoosa also directed the state government to pay a compensation of Rs two lakh to the family of the deceased within one month.

Rakhi Devi, a resident of Garkhal in Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu district, had filed a complaint with the SHRC, alleging that the CRPF personnel killed her 17-year-old son Vijay Kumar during a raid on timber smugglers in the area. The State Forest Corporation (SFC) officials and the CRPF men jointly conducted the raid.

In his order, Justice Kawoosa said it was found that Vijay was not directly or indirectly involved in timber smuggling.

The CRPF personnel had opened fire and killed the victim without any provocation, he said, adding the separate reports filed by the police and the SFC corroborated the complaint.

The SHRC chairperson said the additional superintendent of police had conducted a thorough inquiry into the incident and recorded the statement of witnesses and the police who supported the complainant's version.

However, he said the CRPF's report apparently seemed to be ''far away from truth''. The CRPF report claimed that the smugglers were armed, which was supported neither by the police nor the SFC.

''It is unbelievable. This has never happened in the history of Kashmir that people go to smuggle timber with arms and ammunition.

Timber smuggling is not done by big armed groups in Kashmir,'' Justice Kawoosa observed.

However, he said timber smuggling was an offence being committed repeatedly by villagers and others in the state. In its report, the SFC had contended that the mob was not armed.

As the CRPF men were called by the Forest Department for help during the operation, the SHRC Chairperson said they were responsible for killing the victim.

''The CRPF did not allege that the mob had opened fire. Had this been done, there would have been killings and injuries to the CRPF men. This is also missing in the case. Hence, it is established that the CRPF personnel had opened fire and killed Vijay,'' he added.

Justice Kawoosa said the death of Vijay could not be compensated, but the relief may mitigate the sufferings of his family.

The SHRC Chairperson recommended the state government, through the Chief Secretary, to direct the SFC Managing Director to pay Rs 2.00 lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased within one month.

Besides, a case be registered against the errant CRPF personnel, he said, adding an action taken report be submitted to the SHRC within one month.

UNI