M A I N   N E W S

DSP to probe Pathribal killings
Protests hit life; tight security for bhog
Tribune News Service and agencies

ANANTNAG (Kashmir), March 30 — The Anantnag Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) today ordered an “independent probe” into the Panchalthan-Pathribal incident in which security forces claimed to have killed five foreign mercenaries suspected to be behind the March 20 massacre of 35 Sikhs in the district.

The order follows a petition filed by 14 residents of Brariaangan village in Anantnag district, from where and adjoining areas five natives went missing on March 24 — a day before the Panchalthan-Pathribal incident — giving credence to the apprehensions of locals that the killed were “civilians” and not “foreign militants”.

The CJM, Mr Abdul Waheed, in his order appointed the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Sheikh Abdul Rehman, as investigating officer with directions to work independently and not to take directions from his superiors.

The court asked the investigating officer to submit his detailed report by or before April 6.

The court also directed Deputy Inspector-General of Police (South Kashmir) to render all possible assistance to the investigating officer.

Anantnag’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Mr Farooq Khan welcomed the CJM order and said the authorities wanted a true picture to emerge before the common man.

“We have recommended that bodies of the killed persons should be exhumed,” he said. Mr Khan said the son of a missing person, Jumma Khan, had earlier lodged a report with the Achabal police which said militants had abducted his father during the night of March 24.

Meanwhile, the Anantnag Bar Association exhibited some traces of killed persons which indicated that those killed by the security forces at Panchalthan were “civilians” who went missing on March 24.

Jumma Khan’s son, Mohammad Shakoor Khan, had collected pieces of the burnt turban and sweater of his father from Panchalthan.

The Bar Association is demanding an inquiry into the Chatti Singhpora massacre and the Panchalthan killings by an independent body like Asia Watch or by Justice Tarkunday.

Meanwhile, life in South Kashmir remained paralysed for the second day today as thousands of men, women and children took to the streets, while shopkeepers observed a spontaneous hartal in protest against the alleged killing of five local villagers by security forces yesterday, labelling them as militants responsible for the Chatti Singhpora carnage.

Security arrangements in and around Chatti Singhpora has been further tightened as some VVIPs are expected to visit the village tomorrow to participate in the bhog ceremony of the carnage victims.

Shops and business establishments in this town and adjoining areas remained closed since yesterday and traffic was off the road. Work in government offices and educational institutions was also badly affected as people observed a spontaneous strike demanding a high-level probe into the reported killing of five local villagers by security forces.

Tension gripped Anantnag yesterday when villagers recovered the turban of one Jumma Khan and the sweater of Zahoor Ahmad near the encounter site of Pathribal.

The demonstrators later presented a memorandum to Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Rawal Kotwal, and demanded that all five bodies be exhumed and a DNA test conducted.

Meanwhile, a seven-member SAD (Badal) group led by its general secretary Mr Onkar Singh Thapar, arrived here today to participate in tomorrow’s bhog ceremony.

The team will also visit some Sikh villages to “rebuild the shaken confidence” of the Sikh community following the massacre, he said.

The other members of the team included Mr Avtar Singh Hit and Mr Kuldeep Singh Bogal.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister are expected to join the ceremony. The authorities have finalised the security arrangements for the visiting VIPs at the venue of the bhog ceremony in the village tomorrow, according to a report from Srinagar.

The Kashmir Sikh Joint Action Committee (KSJAC) has called for a general strike in the valley tomorrow to mark the day, when thousands of the members of the Sikh community from distant areas of the valley will converge on the village to attend the bhog ceremony. People from other communities, particularly the majority community in Kashmir valley, have also been urged to join the ceremony, a spokesman for the KSJAC said.

The Superintendent of Police, Traffic, Kashmir, has notified instructions for the drivers carrying people to the village.

Dr Farooq Abdullah said he had directed DGP Gurbachan Jagat and ADGP-CID R.K. Tikku to inquire into the incident and they had already left for the spot.

Villagers feel orphaned
From Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

CHATTI SINGHPORA (Anantnag), March 30 — With tragedy still writ large on their faces, the residents of this biggest Sikh village of Kashmir valley, are waiting for the national political leadership to arrive here tomorrow to “decide our future”.

“It is for the first time that we are feeling orphaned,” they say, maintaining that they have always believed in peaceful co-existence.

The village, 8 km from Anantnag, bears the scars of the massacre it witnessed on the evening of March 20, the Holi day. The mortal remains of 18 of the victims remain uncollected on the premises of Gurdwara Singh Sabha. It was against the wall of this gurdwara that they were massacred.

After 10 days of this gory incident, the Sikh community here is both “perplexed and confused”.

“We do not know what to do next. Some of the Central leaders have been here to console us and share our grief. Among those who have visited this village include Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Giani Puran Singh, Bhai Ranjit Singh, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mr Balram Jakhar, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad and others. The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah, too, had been here to share our grief,” say the villagers.

Tomorrow is the bhog ceremony, after which the venue would shift from Gurdwara Singh Sabha to the big open ground where leaders of various political parties are expected to be present. The villagers here have started addressing the victims as “martyrs” by displaying their pictures and names outside both the gurdwaras.

The village has already been fortified. Contingents of paramilitary forces and the J&K police are here in numbers. The approach road to the village, too, has been repaired. Work has been on for piped water supply to the villagers. All streets here have been marked with lime powder. A couple of teams of doctors and paramedical staff have been camping here to look after the health care and medical needs of the village.

“It is almost after 15 to 20 years that the village is getting so much attention from various government agencies. The water pipes are being laid after 15 years. The road, too, has been repaired as some more VIPs are expected tomorrow,” remarked Mr Medar Singh, a shopkeeper.

Of the five mohallas in the village, Akalipura and Tibipura suffered the second largest of 11 casualties, while Shaukinpura suffered the maximum of 13 casualties. Shaukinpura is now left with few adult male members. Bhaipura lost seven of its men while Jawanpura had four casualties. The 35th victim was from outside.

Mrs Jeet Kaur, who lost five of her family members, including her husband Faqir Singh, outside Gurdwara Singh Sabha, has exhausted her tears. “I have lost everything,” she says, pointing towards the bullet marks on the wall of the gurdwara against which her husband, two sons — Sub Karnail Singh and Sital Singh — and grandsons — Rajdeep Singh and Devinder Singh — were lined up before being shot mercilessly.

Then there is 80-year-old Baldev Singh, who lost his two sons — Gurbaksh Singh and Uttam Singh — besides two grandsons — Gurdeep Singh and Ajitpal Singh.

The villagers maintain that the killers, dressed in army uniforms, carrying bottles of Rum and with their faces and ‘uniform’ smeared with Holi colours, showed no mercy and went away merrily as the power supply to the village was disconnected just 10 minutes before the catastrophe.