Rs 1-lakh relief for Pulwama woman killed in ‘crossfire’

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 11

The state administration has sanctioned Rs 1 lakh as compensation to the next of kin of a pregnant woman, who was killed during crossfire between militants and security forces in the Shadimarg area of Pulwama district on October 19.

The Pulwama Deputy Commissioner revealed this in his report to the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which had issued notices to him and the SSP on October 26, 2018, while acting on a complaint of a human rights activist.

“On October 19, 2018, some unknown militants fired upon the 44 Rashtriya Rifles camp at Shadimarg with their automatic weapons. Security personnel retaliated in self-defence. During the crossfire one woman, Firdousa, wife of Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Shadimarg, Pulwama was injured,” the DC submitted to the SHRC while quoting from the report of the SSP.

The DC further added that Section 302 was added to the FIR registered into the matter after the injured woman succumbed at District Hospital, Pulwama.

The DC further submitted that an ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh had been sanctioned in the favour of the next of kin of the deceased woman vide an order issued on November 19, 2018.

However, terming the compensation as a joke, the petitioner activist on Tuesday submitted to the commission that woman was killed during “indiscriminate firing” by the security personnel. “It is the question of two lives as the woman was pregnant. Rs 1 lakh compensation is just like rubbing salt to the injuries,” he said, adding that the security personnel should be booked as per the law.