The Jammu and Kashmir capital remained largely shut on Wednesday in response to a bandh call by separatist leaders against the killing of two civilians in Army firing in the Chattergam area of Budgam on Monday.
Stone-throwing and clashes between youth and the police were witnessed in the Nowgam area, where the two victims lived, but other parts of Srinagar remained peaceful under a reinforced security presence and restrictions. Public bus service, businesses and offices in the city mostly remained shut.
The National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the Defence Ministry and the Superintendent of Police, Budgam, calling for reports into the killings within two weeks.
Amnesty International India, in a statement, said the Army must cooperate fully with the J&K police investigation into the killings and not use the AFSPA to shield its soldiers. “If sufficient evidence is found, suspects must be prosecuted in a civilian court, and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act must not be used to shield soldiers from prosecution,” it said.
The Amnesty statement said it had documented cases since 1990, including the killing of an 18-year-old boy in Ganderbal in 2013, in which the Army had refused to cooperate with the police investigation. It urged the government to ensure that the police investigation into the Chattergam incident was taken to its logical end.
