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Kashmir govt appoints Judicial Commission to probe recent killings

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Srinagar, India, July 28, IRNA -- The state government has appointed a two-member Commission of Inquiry to probe deaths of 17 persons by police and paramilitary forces since June 11 this year. The government also sanctioned relief to the families of victims.

The decision to set up the Commission was taken at a state cabinet meeting here on Tuesday chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, an official spokesman said.

The commission has been set up to cool tempers running high in Kashmir since the spate of killings began some six weeks ago.

The commission will be headed by a retired judge of Kashmir High Court.

The Commission has been asked to submit its report within three months.

The government has also taken a number of other steps to bring the street rage, which has now turned into a full blown anti-India agitation, in control.

The cabinet decided to set up a committee to review the cases of detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and make recommendations about the release of detainees arrested during the current unrest.

More than a thousand people have been arrested in past several weeks of unrest in Kashmir and many have been booked under PSA.

They include top separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The cabinet also approved a package, as a one time exception, in favour of next of the kin of those civilians, who have lost their lives since June 11.

As per a government order, “All those persons who died as a result of violence attributable to the breach of law and order and were not found directly or indirectly involved in actual violence or instigation thereof as ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh and appointment of an eligible member of the deceased civilian in Government service against a lowest non-gazetted post or payment of cash compensation of Rs 5 lakh in lieu of Government job.

The government's decision, analysts say is unlikely to be acceptable to the separatists who have already announced a “Quit-Kashmir” campaign.