BJP leaders visited the families of three civilians, who allegedly died following torture in custody on Friday. The three were detained by security forces immediately after the December 21 attack, in Poonch district’s Pir Panjal Valley.
The leaders promised stern action against the culprits.
Meanwhile, mobile Internet services have been restored in the region after a week.
J&K BJP State president Ravinder Raina visited the families as well as the injured being treated at Surankote hospital in Poonch. “The entire nation and the Central as well as the J&K government stand with the victims. Those responsible will be punished sternly. No one is above the law in India. Those involved have committed a major crime. The Union Defence Minister also met the families recently and assured them,” Mr. Raina said.
Deadly ambush
Three civilians died and around eight others were badly injured after security forces rounded up villagers from hamlets in Poonch and Rajouri. Troops were responding after an ambush targeting a convoy left four soldiers dead, on December 21.
BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Gulam Ali Khatana also visited the families in Poonch to express solidarity. Khatana is a Gujjar leader and the victim families also belong to the same nomadic tribe from the Pir Panjal valley.
Security forces depend on the Gujjars living close to the Line to Control (LoC) to augment their security apparatus and would carry out special recruitment drives to recruit from amongst the community. However, the killing of the three civilians sparked major unrest and protests in the region, especially after a 29-minute video showed the victims being beaten up. Salt and chilli powder was also thrown over them. The Army has initiated an inquiry and the J&K police lodged a First Information Report (FIR).
Meanwhile, Farooq Abdullah and Gujjar leader Mian Altaf, both senior leaders of the National Conference, also reached the Pir Panjal Valley and met families on Friday.
Mr. Abdullah said his party is for an impartial and time-bound judicial probe into the incident. The former J&K Chief Minister appealed to the government and law enforcement agencies “to take concrete and effective measures to prevent recurrence of such incidents of gross human rights violation”.
“I will raise this issue in Parliament and will try my level best to draw the attention of the government towards the incident,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Mobile Internet services, snapped a week ago, were restored in the Pir Panjal valley on Friday, officials said.
A huge quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered in Mendhar area of Poonch. The arms were recovered in Kasblari area during a search close to the LoC.
