Human rights panel to probe Poonch killings

There is more to it, the grieving residents told Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who visited them today.

Farooq however said the matter would be referred to the State Human Rights Commission. The investigations will be conducted by Commission chairman G A Kuchhai, a retired High Court judge.

The deceased were the family members of Imtiyaz Hamid, a dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant. The day before the massacre, militants had killed a policeconstable, Zakir Hussain, in the same area. Senior Army officials held foreign mercenaries responsible for the killing of Zakir and the family members of Imtiyaz. In this connection, they said while the deceased constable had helped the troops carry out various successful operations against LeT militants in the district, Imtiyaz was planning to surrender against the wishes of foreign mercenaries belonging to the same outfit.

On August 3, the mercenaries intercepted the bus Zakir was travelling in. The constable, who was going to Sailan to meet Imtiyaz to finalise the details of his surrender, was killed after a hot chase.

The next morning, nineteen members of Imtiyaz’s family, including 14 children, were also mowed down.

However, there are no takers for the Army’s version in Sailan, senior police officials in the district said.

Even Imtiyaz appears unconvinced that foreign mercenaries belonging to the LeT killed his family members. He also threatened the deceased constable’s family members living inthe village, compelling the administration to shift them to Surankote under tight security.

The police admit to having received reports from some local people that the policeman was killed by militants led by Imtiyaz.