It is shocking that three Kashmiri civilians were lured to work as porters for the Army and then killed in an “encounter” after being branded as foreign militants ( >Nov. 14 ). This is no ordinary crime, but one committed by our men in uniform. It is heartening that the Army has acted swiftly, a move that might help heal some wounds in Kashmir.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad
The array of incidents — in Macchil, and the murder of Thangjam Manorama — shows that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is being wantonly misused. What makes matters worse is when even elected governments collude with wrongdoers. That the truth has taken years to come to light is unfortunate. The government needs to review the reach of AFSPA immediately.
Vijaya Krishna Pillai G.,
Alappuzha
The torture and murder of Manorama is an atrocity as barbaric as the torture and murder of ‘Nirbhaya’ in Delhi. Yet, the brutalities against Manorama and other Indian women like her who belong to underprivileged, ethnic and racial minorities do not get media attention or create public outrage. The Army personnel involved in this crime need to face similar strict sentences as those given to Nirbhaya’s killers.
Rajiv Thind,
Brisbane, Australia
