Rights body takes note of DC’s ‘non-compliance’ with order

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 17

The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has taken serious note of “non-compliance” of its orders by the Kupwara Deputy Commissioner in a case related to the killing of 22 civilians in the firing by security forces at Handwara in Kupwara district in 1990.

While issuing a notice to the said DC under Section 17 of the J&K Protection of the Human Rights Act, 1997, the commission has forwarded the copy to the Chief Secretary for information for non-compliance of orders regarding four “untraced persons” among those killed in Handwara by the BSF on October 1, 1990.

Hearing a petition filed by human rights activist M Ahsan Untoo, the SHRC had on February 15 directed the Kupwara administration to publish in local newspapers the names and photographs of the four untraced persons so that their kin could identify them.

The deceased are Ghulam Rasool Malik, Ghulam Rasool Sofi, Ghulam Rasool Hajam and Shahzad Ahmed Pir. They were among the 22 persons killed in the firing by the BSF. The purpose was that the next of kin of the deceased could be located and ex gratia already sanctioned in their favour disbursed.

The order was, however, not complied with. Later, another order was passed by the commission on May 17, asking the DC to ensure that the advertisement was published in local dailies.

“In spite of the orders, we are not getting a response from the DC, Kupwara. The orders were sent to him even through fax. This attitude of cannot be appreciated,” SHRC chairperson Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki observed.

“Since the DC has failed to issue an advertisement in the newspapers, the next of kin of the deceased four persons through the medium of press as well as electronic media are informed to appear before the commission on August 28, 2018,” the commission said in its fresh orders, while posting the matter for further adjudication on August 28.