We will Probe Chittisinghpora Massacre -- Farooq Abdullah

We will Probe Chittisinghpora Massacre -- Farooq Abdullah

MUZAMIL JALEEL

Wednesday, November 1, 2000

SRINAGAR, OCTOBER 31: The Jammu and Kashmir Government today decided to probe the Chittisinghpora Sikh massacre in which 36 people were killed during US President Bill Clinton's India visit in March and the killing of five villagers in a `fake encounter' at Pathribal a few days later.

``We have decided to initiate a probe into both these incidents. Thereis an immediate need to wash off the doubts from their (people's) hearts and assuage their hurt feelings,'' Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said soon after the state cabinet accepted the Justice Pandian Commission report on Brakpora firing days after Pathribal fake encounter and the report of inquiry on August shoot-out inside the Amarnath yatris camp at Pahalgam.

The Pahalgam shootout inquiry was conducted by a three member committee headed by 15 Corps Commander Lt. General J R Mukharjee.

Abdullah said Justice Pandian Commission has linked Brakpora firing withPathribal killings and Chittisinghpora massacre and put them together. ``Toexpose that link, the Government took the decision to investigate bothChittisinghpora massacre and the Pathribal killings,'' he said. ``Thereport reveals that the Brakpora firing has a reason in the incident offive villagers going missing and the Pathribal killings has a linkwith the Chittisinghpora massacre''.

Abdullah said the state government was going to request Justice Pandian to probe these two incidents as well. ``The Law minister P L Handoo will visit Chennai soon to meet Justice Pandian and request him. If he accepts our request, then the orders will be issued on November 6.''

When asked by a reporter whether the Centre was aware of the probe intoChittisinghpora massacre, an angry Abdullah shouted back: ``Why shouldthe Centre know about our inquiry into Chittisinghpora massacre. It is mystate''.

Interestingly, the Central Government had ruled out a probe into the massacre of 35 Sikh villagers at Chittisinghpora coinciding with thePresident Clinton's India visit, saying there was no doubt about theinvolvement of foreign mercenaries in the carnage.

He said the Government has accepted both the reports and will take sternaction against those involved. ``As central forces are also involved, wewill take it up with the Government of India as well,'' Abdullah said.``We have decided to suspend three policemen of Special Operations Group(SOG), Ashok Kumar (Assistant Sub Inspector), Krishan Kumar (HeadConstable, 5 JKAP) and for their involvement in Brakpora firing,'' Abdullahsaid.

Besides, he said, the officials of the CRPF indicted in the Brakpora firing incident are Commandant CRPF R P Roy, P.C Handik, Shyam Kumar and S P Lamberkar. ``The Government will register an FIR and book them on murder charges besides constitute a special team of investigators to prove the cases in the Court,'' he said.

He said though the Justice Pandian Commission has exonerated the then Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Farooq Khan and Station House Officer, Achabal in the Brakpora firing case, the Government will hold the reinstatement till the inquiry in Pathribal killings and the Chittisinghpora massacre are over.

Abdullah said the inquiry committee on Pahalgam shootout in August, last hasproven that the CRPF used excessive force in the incident. ``We will send the report to Ministry of Home Affairs to take proper action against,'' he said. He said the Government has also decided to put on suspension the then SP, Pahalgam town, DSP Pahalgam Zone 1, Abdul Qayoom, DSP Pahalgam Zone 2, Preetam Singh and Sub-Inspector JKP G M Bhat for derelection of duty.

``They were principally responsible for the security of the Amarnath yatricamp which they failed to fulfill,'' he said.

Abdullah said the State Government has also accepted the suggestion of the Gen. Mukherjee report to constitute a high-level committee to smoothen the yatra.

`Let George talk to Pakistan'

Farooq Abdullah today took strong exception to the recent statements made by the Army Chief General Padmanabhan and the Defence Minister George Fernandes, who had said that Kashmir issue needs to be addressed politically. ``Even the Inspector General of CRPF said that,'' he said. ``I am surprised. I don't know who allows them to make such statements. How can the army chief or a CRPF officer talk about politics,'' he said. He said the Defence Minister should explain what he meant by Kashmir being a political issue. ``If it is a political issue with a political resolution, Why don't the Defence Minister visit Pakistan and talk to them,'' he said.

Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.