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Farooq orders judicial probe into Sikh massacre

Mukhtar Ahmed in Srinagar

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday announced a judicial probe into the Sikh massacre at Chattisinghpora and the subsequent killing of five persons at Panchthalan Pathribal in south Kashmir in March this year.

This was announced by Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah at a crowded press conference at his heavily guarded residence after a high level cabinet meeting which accepted the Justice Pandian commission report into the police firing at Barakpora on April 3 this year in which eight protestors were killed and 15 others were wounded.

The state cabinet also accepted the report of a three-member committee headed by Lt Gen J R Mukherjee, corps commander, Kashmir, into the massacre of Amarnath Cave bound pilgrims at Pahalgam on August 1 in which 35 Yatris were killed while scores others were injured. The state government had ordered an inquiry after a demand for a judicial probe was turned down by the Centre.

In a detailed report submitted to the government last week after seven months, Justice S R Pandian has found three members of the Special Operations Group of the state police and four jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force involved in the heavy firing on a procession at Barakpora in southern Anantnag district to demand the exhumation of bodies of five persons allegedly killed as foreign militants at Pathribal.

The police chief of Kashmir range, Dr A K Bhan had then claimed that the five persons killed at Pathribal were foreign militants responsible for the massacre of Sikhs at Chattisinghpora. Dr Bhan had said that the operation at Pathribal was led by Brigadier Bajaj of Rashtriya Rifles and the then Anantnag district police chief, Farooq Khan.

Dr Abdullah told journalists that an FIR is being registered against three involved members of the SOG and a special police team is being constituted to prove the case in the court. He said the Justice Pandian report is also being supplied to the state home department so that those indicted are put under suspension.

As per the recommendations of the commission, the next of kin of each victim of Barakpora shootout should be provided Rs 2 lakh each and two injured persons will be given one lakh rupees each.

The chief minister said, "We have also accepted the recommendations of the commission to prevent such incidents in future."

Dr Abdullah said as the Brackpora incident was directly related to the Pathribal killings and Chattisinghpora massacre, "We are requesting Justice Pandian to head the judicial probe into those killings as well. My law minister is proceeding to Madras to request Justice Pandian and I hope he will accept the request."

The chief minister disclosed that the judicial probe is being held to "re-instil confidence in the Sikh community who have been voicing fear and Apprehensions". He, however, said the DNA reports of the five exhumed bodies at Pathribal are yet to be received by the state government.

Thirtysix Sikhs were killed by gunmen on March 21 this year at Chattisinghpora in south Kashmir. No militant group has so far admitted responsibility for the killings, though the government blamed militants for the massacre. The chief minister revealed that in view of the state government's decision to further inquire the matter, the two police officers suspended for Brackpora incident -- Farooq Khan, the then SSP (Anantnag) and state house officer (Achabal) Gazanfar -- shall not be reinstated even though the Justice Pandian Commission has recommended their reinstatement.

The chief minister thanked the GOC 15 corps for what he said was a "meticulous and thorough report into the Pahalgam massacre". The report has proved excessive firing by the paramilitary CRPF and it is being submitted to the union home ministry for further action.

Dr Abdullah said strict action will be taken against state police officials for dereliction of duty. He said, "Murder cases are being registered against Tilak Raj, the then superintendent of police, Pahalgam, CRPF commandant Hari Singh, deputy superintendents Abdul Qayoom and Pritam Singh and sub-inspector Ghulam Mohammad Bhat of the state police.

In reply to a question, Dr Abdullah said he and his cabinet colleagues have been invited by the JKLF chairman Amanullah Khan to his daughter's marriage next month. "We are ready to join the marriage ceremony provided the Government of India allows us and the Pakistani government ensures our security."

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