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Post-mortem shows torture
Action barbaric, says George
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 11 — The post-mortem report of the bodies of six Army men of the 4th Jat Regiment, including that of Lieut Saurab Kalia indicate that they were "barbarically" tortured for many days before being killed, Defence Minister George Fernandes said here today.

The post-mortem examination of the bodies had clearly established that they were meted out "inhuman, cruel and barbaric" treatment by Pakistan, Mr Fernandes told mediapersons after paying tributes to the six Army men at Delhi Cantonment.

"Our soldiers were subjected to a very barbaric treatment and every kind of torture by Pakistan for many days. They were then brutally killed one by one about a week ago," Mr Fernandes said.

Asked what would be the Indian response to such a brutal action by Pakistan, he said a "reply will be given at the right forum and at the appropriate level."

The Defence Minister said "Pakistan had violated "all norms of civilised behaviour and international laws".

He said the action of Pakistan was "unpardonable".

Mr Fernandes said the issue would figure during talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz who was scheduled to reach here tomorrow.

The post-mortem of the six mutilated bodies was carried out at the Army Base Hospital here.

Asked what was stopping New Delhi from declaring a war against Pakistan, Mr Fernandes shot back: "War is not declared at press conferences."

He said whenever the topic of missing Army men was taken up with Pakistan at the Army level, "they always denied having any such persons with them."

He said the six men, Lieut Saurav Kalia and Sepoys Arjun Ram, Banwar Lal, Bhikaram, Moola Ram and Naresh Singh, had been missing since May 14 when a patrol party went to locate infiltrators in Kargil.

To a question whether India would take up the issue at the international level, he said no such decision had been contemplated yet.

Asked to comment on reports that Pakistan was taking China’s help in the operations, he retorted: "What they do is their business. For us the battle is still on."

He expressed confidence that the infiltrators would be driven out from Kargil soon. "It is a matter of time before they are driven out," he said.

Asked about other missing soldiers, he said: "After this it is difficult to answer in a positive way. But we expect that they will be treated well before being returned to us."

Maj Sudhir Mohan Kalia, Ist Mechanised Infantry Regiment, brother of Lieut Saurab Kalia, who was present, said: "I am proud of my brother for having laid done his life defending the country."

In a voice choked with emotion, Major Kalia said: "This is not the treatment that should be meted out to soldiers."

The body of Lieut Saurab Kalia will be taken to Suggar village in Kangra district for last rites.

Sources in Lieut Kalia’s unit said the officer had volunteered to go on the operation in the best traditions of the army. Members of his unit then did not realise that was the last time they would see him alive, they said.

ISLAMABAD (AFP): Pakistan on Friday dismissed allegations that the bodies of six Indian soldiers it returned home as a "goodwill gesture" after they were killed in Kashmir had been mutilated.

"It is a totally crude attempt to malign Pakistan and its armed forces," military spokesman Brig Rashid Qureshi.

"No Army would mutilate the bodies in the first place and then return it to the enemy. Their (India’s) propaganda has reached ridiculous proportions."

Brig Qureshi said the Indian soldiers were killed in an encounter with Pakistani troops when they tried to attack a Pakistani position on the dividing line of control in Kashmir more than three weeks ago.

In the ensuing fight the Indians "retreated", leaving behind the six bodies in a ravine, he said.
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Torture: Cong wants govt to act
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, June 11 — The Congress today condemned the torture of Indian soldiers and said the act violated both the Geneva Convention and human rights.

‘‘Only those dedicated to fomenting unrest and exporting terrorism could possibly have committed these cowardly and completely uncivilised acts, the party said in a statement.

The party also said it hoped the government would bring the facts before the Pakistan Foreign Minister when he arrived here for talks tomorrow.

Mr K. Natwar Singh, chairman of the AICC foreign affairs department, said, since the bodies were returned by the Pakistan Army, the role of the armed forces in the perpetration of these war crimes could no longer be doubted.

The party urged the government "to leave no stone unturned in the process of resolutely dealing with the deliberate and wanton acts of atrocity".

The party said Pakistan was a country that did not feel bound by its own formal bilateral commitments, such as the Simla accord, and it also failed to see the necessity of honouring internationally binding protocol like the Geneva Convention.

The party spokesman said US Congressman Gary Ackerman's statement that Pakistan should be added to the list of state sponsors of terrorism assumed significance in the light of the development.
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