SRINAGAR: The International Forum for Justice and Human Rights (IFJHRJK) has said that a total of 355 people including a 10-year-old boy, a pregnant woman and three PhD scholars lost their lives to Indian state terrorism in Kashmir in 2018.
The report released by the International Forum for Justice and Human Rights said 95 cordon and search operations took place in Kashmir in the year in which 120 houses were destroyed.
The report said a journalist, two-mentally challenged men and a 14-year-old were also among the victims of Indian state terrorism. It said 355 Kashmiri Muslims and 95 forces’ personnel lost their lives in 2018.
The report stated that Musharraf Fayaz (10) died after getting injured in an explosion in Shopian in January, while a pregnant woman, Firdousa lost her life to forces’ bullets. Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari was also shot dead outside his office at the Press Enclave.
The report said November has been bloodiest month in the year with 49 killings. It also marks April 1 as the deadliest day, when 20 people were killed, while over 200 were injured in a single day in Kashmir.
“This year we saw 120 houses were razed to the ground. A house is a person’s life long investment. Nobody will invite combatants to his house. We have filed petitions in this case, but there has been no reply. There is no policy to rehabilitate them. Justice bodies should take cognizance of it,” IFJHRJK Chairman Ahsan Untoo said in a media interview in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, the Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman has stated that “in this year, during crackdown and other searches, the forces have arrested 450 persons in Kashmir, saying that 107 persons were arrested on false charges by tagging them as stone pelters and for helping militants and
have been booked under PSA and shifted to different jails in or outside the State.”
He said that 42 dead bodies were found in different areas while many among them were bullet riddled.
The spokesman said, “41 rifles including one pistol were snatched by the militants from forces personnel this year, which is higher than the past year. 24 forces personnel have committed suicide in Kashmir for different reasons.” NNI