Machil victims’ families say will rejoice only when the killers are punished

“Everybody is greeting us. But justice will be done when all the accused,including civilian informers of the Army,get death penalty,’’ said Riyaz’s 65-year-old father Mohammad Yusuf Lone.

“We have received only Rs 1 lakh as compensation and all of it was spent on the court and travel expenses. I am now taking loans from neighbours to pursue this case. I want to see the killers of my son hanged,’’ he said as he showed photographs of his dead son to visitors.

The picturesque village surrounded by apple orchards on the Baramulla-Kupwara highway has been in the news since 2010 when bodies of the three youth,who were dubbed as foreign militants and buried on the LoC,were exhumed and buried in the village.

Now,it is not just the three families but also other villagers who are tracking the case and want speedy justice.

Riyaz’s mother Naseema says she is perturbed over civilians involved in the case not being punished.

“Even during the court proceedings in Baramulla,two civilians whose relatives are in the police gave us death threats. Soon after the killings,the chief minister,cabinet ministers and other leaders from mainstream political parties promised speedy action. But still civilians against whom cases have been established have not been punished,” she said.

About 200 metres away,in the centre of the village,neighbours show newspaper clippings about the court martial announcement to Shafi’s mother Zahida Begum.

“I will stop mourning the death of my son when Army men and their informers are punished. Until then I will feel we have not been given justice,’’ she said,as tears rolled down her eyes.

Shafi’s cousin Showket Ahmad Khan,who is also a witness in the case,seeks to compare the Machil case to Afzal Guru’s in connection with the Parliament attack.

“There was no clear evidence against Afzal Guru but still he was hanged. Here three innocent villagers were killed in cold blood and cases have been established. so we want similar punishment for the guilty Army men and civilians,’’ Khan said.

Members of Shezad’s family said they are now hopeful about getting justice.

“We are living in poverty,but still spent money on this case as we want the guilty to be punished,’’ said Shezad’s wife Jabeena Akthar. “My son was four years old when my husband was killed. Today he is seven. He always asks about his father,and I have no answers to satisfy him.”