Judicial commission to probe Kashmir civilian killings

SRINAGAR - The Jammu and Kashmir government Tuesday constituted a judicial commission to enquire into 17 civilian deaths that occurred allegedly on account of actions by the state police and security forces.

The commission will be headed by Justice Bashir-ud-Din, a retired judge of the state high court, and will also include Justice Y.P. Nargotra, another retired judge.

The commission will submit its report in three months, according to an official statement issued here.

The decision was taken in a state cabinet chaired by Chief minister Omar Abdullah.

The state cabinet also approved that a committee will immediately review the detentions under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and make recommendations on the release of the detenues.

The cabinet also approved a package, as a one-time exception, in favour of the next of kins of those civilians killed since June 11 as “a result of violence attributable to the breach of law and order and are not found directly or indirectly involved in actual violence or instigation”.

The ex-gratia relief has been fixed at Rs.5 lakh per victim or Rs.1 lakh and a government job for the next of kin.

The valley has been virtually paralysed due to violent protests against civilians being killed in firing by security forces. Several people, including a 25-year old woman, have been killed in firing by security personnel across the Kashmir Valley since June 11.

The army had been called in to help maintain law and order as the violence spiralled.