Fresh State Human rights commission notice to J

Srinagar, Feb 15 (UNI) State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued a fresh notice to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and others named respondents in a petition filed by Awami National Conference (ANC).

Taking a serious note of absence of respondents and their counsels, the SHRC directed them to be present before the commission on March 3.

The ANC, headed by former Chief Minister Ghulam Mohammad Shah, has filed a petition before the commission demanding fixing of responsibilities for custodial disappearance, rape, murder and bombing of houses allegedly by security forces in the state during the last 19 years.

The petition has named Mr Azad, Director General of Police Kuldip Khoda and others as respondents. It said the Chief Minister, who was head of the Unified Command, was morally and legally responsible for the ''wrong doings'' of security forces.

Meanwhile, the ANC also filed another petition in which it has demanded that minimum compensation of Rs 50 lakhs be paid in custodial disappearance and killings by security forces.

Muzafar Shah, who represented the petitioner before the SHRC, said Rs seven lakhs are being paid for just one human kidney while government was paying just Rs one lakh for killing a civilian.

Mr Shah said though no compensation was enough for human life, but going by the cost of living, the hike in the compensation was necessary.

He also pleaded that adequate compensation as per market rate should be paid to those whose houses are being damaged during the encounters.

UNI BAS VD BST1813