Conflict

Sailan Massacre: JKCCS observes anniversary of the massacre at Poonch

Srinagar: On the 19h anniversary of Sailan massacre in Poonch district of Jammu, the relatives of the victims decried inordinate delay in justice and vowed to continue their struggle for bringing the accused to book.

The relatives mostly survivors of the brutal massacre in which 19 people including 11 children of three families were killed allegedly by four Special Police Officers (SPOs) and personnel of 9 Paratroopers of Army on August 3, 1998 night visited the graveyard and offered prayers for the victims.

The family members of the murdered Sailan people said day before the massacre, unidentified gunmen had killed an SPO Zakir Ahmad of Sailan on Mughal road. They said the personnel from 9 Paratroopers accused their relative, Imtiaz Ahmad, who was a militant for the killing.

The Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Societies (JKCCS) on Thursday observed an anniversary of the infamous Sailan Massacre at Surankote, Poonch.

“Today, 3 August 2017 is the 19th anniversary of the massacre at Sailan village, Surankote, Poonch District. On the night of 3/4 August 1998, 19 civilians (13 female/6 male including 11 children) were shot to death at point blank range in their homes in Sailan village by 4 Special Police Officers (SPOs) and personnel of the 9 Para commando battalion (under the control of Major Gaurav Rishi), an elite commando unit of the Indian Army. Jammu and Kashmir police officers, including then Superintendent of Police (Poonch), J.P Singh, are also implicated in the crime and cover up,” a statement from JKCCS read.

Criticizing the Indian judicial system, the statement further added that “the Sailan massacre is not just an illustration of the brutality of crimes committed in Jammu and Kashmir by the armed forces. It is an apt example of the manner in which the system seeks to exhaust, disappoint families of victims, and in the end attempt to ensure impunity for the armed forces.”

The families had to approach the Jammu and Kashmir High Court for investigations in this case and finally in 2012 the High Court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out proper investigations.

“Three years later, on 25 August 2015, the CBI concluded that the case should be closed, exonerated the named accused and stated that the families of the victim were untruthful,” the statement added.

“The struggle for the families then began before the CBI court in Jammu where they filed a protest petition for further investigations. The family members had to travel to Jammu from Sailan, Poonch and their legal representatives from Srinagar,” the statement further added.

“Over close to eighteen court dates, until 2 May 2017, the court was seized of the case, heard detailed arguments and then reserved the case for final orders. But, due to the transfers of judges, a new judge has now been assigned to the case and the case is to be re-heard all over again.

Sailan massacre is one of numerous massacres committed in Jammu and Kashmir and one of the high profile cases from the Jammu division. But, despite intervention from the High Court and investigations being handed over to the CBI, the case continues to move in favor of the accused,” the statement said.

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