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NHRC issues notice to Chief Secy of J and K
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 26
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Defence Secretary and the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to apprise the commission about ex-gratia relief, if any, awarded to the victims or next of kin of victims affected by human rights violations by armed forces personnel in the state.

The move comes after the commission took suo motu cognizance of a newspaper report in an English daily on December 17, 2006, under the heading “76 Army men punished for HR violations”. The report said these personnel were awarded punishment during the last couple of years following complaints of human rights violation against them.

The report further said that the Higher authorities in the Army had been given instructions to make anti-insurgency operations people-friendly and minimise civilian losses, yet such violations had taken place. The report quoted the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps saying that the punishment included dismissal from service.

Meanwhile, taking cognizance of another newspaper report pertaining to an incident in which three prisoners were fired at by anti-social elements in Gurgaon while on way to a court at Jaipur, resulting in the death of two prisoners, the commission has sought the comments of the Chief Secretary and the DGP of Haryana on the incident within four weeks.

Taking suo motu cognizance of the report published in a Hindi daily on December 19, 2006, the commission said the contents, if true, raised a serious issue of right to security of the accused or undertrial prisoners.

The report said the Gurgaon Police was taking the three prisoners to a court in Jaipur when the incident took place at Rajiv Gandhi Chowk in Gurgaon. One of the prisoners died on the spot and the other on way to hospital. The report further said that these three prisoners were involved in a case relating to the murder of a sepoy in Jaipur.