Give Rs one lac each to 14 missing persons, J&K HR commission

Srinagar, Aug 21 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the authorities to pay Rs one lac ex-gratia to the 14 persons who disappeared between 2000 to 2003 from Banihal area of Doda district in Jammu region.

Delivering the judgement on a petiton filed by one Khuram Parvez on behalf of the 14 disappeared persons before the SHRC, Habibullah Bhat said that this commission was satisified that next of the kin of these persons are entitled to exgraia relief of Rs one lac each as they have disappeared in the period of turmoil and have fallen victim to multi type human rights violation by different agencies in the field.

Mr Parvez in the petition has said that Ali Fia, Haji Mohammad Islamil Gujjar, Mohammad Yousuf Naik, Mohammad Yousuf Naik, Mohammad Amin Naik, Ghulam Mohiuddin Zohda, Nazir Ahmad Zohda, Ghulam Hassan Zohda, Ghulam Qadir Zohda, Abdul Gani Hajam, Mushtaq Ahmad Drabu, Nissar Ahmad Wani, Mohammad Saleem Tantray, Farooq Ahmad Naik and Mohammad Yousuf Prahanoo, resident of far flung, remote and backward areas, disappeared during the period from 2000 to 2003.

Superintendent of Police, Ramban, in his reply to the commission about the missing persons, said Haji Ismail was killed by militants while three are missing and three others were reported as active militants.

He said relatives of some of the missing persons have not lodged any complaint or FIR with any police station of the area. However, police has started investigation, the reply said.

Mr Habibdullah said the complaint about the disappeared persons filed in this commission has not been denied by the police.

The commission takes notice of the fact that these persons belong to one of the hilly and backward areas of the state and therefore do not know the law.

He said th commission has found that in many cases relatives have not reported against different agencies responsible for causing disappearance and deaths on account of their own insecurity and threat of retaliation by the offending agencies or persons.

Passing the recommendations, the commission has directed that the copy of the order be submitted to state Chief Secretary and Deputy Commission,Banihal, for necessary action.

UNI