Wednesday, May 7, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 30, 1429    

Indian SC questions bravery awards to army men

Srinagar —The Supreme Court of India, after describing the fake encounters devilishly planned acts, has questioned the moral grounds for giving gallantry awards and out of-turn promotions to the police officials and troops involved in branding innocent Kashmiris as terrorists and killing them in fake encounters in occupied Kashmir. The Supreme Court has expressed serious dismay at the disobedience of its direction with regard to conducting a thorough probe into every killing for which officials are expected to get rewards and promotions, KMS reported.

These observations have come at a time when the Indian police and troops are facing serious charges of indulging in fake encounters for getting rewards and promotions.

It has also come at a time when Indian and international organisations are seeking a thorough probe into the alleged discovery of more than 1,000 unmarked graves in Baramulla.

A human rights organization has expressed fears that the graves may be of those people who have been killed in fake encounters by the troops and later buried secretly in this remote village.

The observations were made by a bench of three judges, Justice Aftab Alam, Justice G.S. Singhvi and Justice B.N. Agrawal while hearing an appeal filed by one Swami Shraddananda, who was held guilty of murdering his wife, Begum Shakereh Namazi.

Justice Aftab Alam, while hearing the appeal said, “Just for getting a bravery award, innocent people in occupied Kashmir are termed terrorists and killed. This is a cold-blooded murder but we give them (the perpetrators) award.”

Justice Singhvi in his remarks said, “It is being done by the police and it is happening throughout the occupied territory just for getting awards and out-of-turn promotions.The judges expressed dismay over the non-seriousness of the puppet regime towards the insistence of the Court for carrying in- depth investigations into the fake encounters and custodial killings. —APP