The Indian Army has initiated an investigation following allegations of ill-treatment of civilians during recent military operations in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Army’s inquiry comes after a search operation was launched on Wednesday based on intelligence regarding the movement of a group of terrorists in the area.
Reports indicate that four residents from Kuath village were summoned to an Army camp on Wednesday morning. Those named include Sajad Hussain, Mehraj Din, Ghulam Hassan, Mushtaq Ahmad, and Abdul Kabir. It has been alleged that these individuals were subjected to torture while in custody. Farooq Ahmed Kripak, the sarpanch of Keshwan A, noted that all the victims were approximately 30 years old. Upon their release, many of the men were in such poor condition that they required assistance to walk, with some needing to be carried.
The villagers took the injured men to the Kishtwar district hospital for medical treatment. Kishtwar’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Javed Iqbal, has stated that the police are in the process of verifying the allegations.
In their official communication, the White Knight Corps of the Army acknowledged the troubling reports of civilian treatment during the operation and confirmed that an investigation has been launched to ascertain the details and circumstances surrounding these claims. The Army further vowed that necessary follow-up actions would be taken based on the findings of the investigation.
The motive for the questioning of the four men appears to be linked to a recent violent incident. This includes the killing of a junior commissioned officer and three soldiers during a gunfight with suspected militants in the Chask area on November 10. Furthermore, the tense situation in the district escalated after two village defence guards were abducted and subsequently murdered by suspected militants earlier in the month, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in the region.
The Village Defence Guards, formed in 1995 as a counterinsurgency measure, consist of local civilian volunteers trained to combat militancy. While their activities had seen a decline over the years, the rise in militant threats has led to a revival of their operations since March 2022. This latest incident not only raises significant concerns over the treatment of civilians but also underscores the continuing cycle of violence and retaliation in Jammu and Kashmir.
