[Reader-list] Massacres - contd.

[Pawan Durani]

1          Pattern of Civilian killings in terrorist  violence

KS Correspondent

2003

Last  three months have witnessed sharp escalation in terrorism
violence. On June 28, the terrorists attacked Sunjawan army camp,
located on the outskirts of Jammu city. There were fourteen
casualties. Three weeks later the terrorists launched an assault on
Tanda Headquarters, which attracted lot of publicity. Among others one
Brigadier was killed and a senior General was injured. On September 6,
a car bomb blast took place at Parimpora fruit mandi. Apparently, it
was intended to hit a passing army convoy. The terrorists also sought
to win psychological advantage by assassinating three top count
er-insurgents. These people had played a significant role in
anti-terrorist campaign.

In the first fortnighyt of September, 181 incidents of terrorist
violence included three ‘’fidayeen attacks and 15 IED blasts. There
were 191 attempts at infiltration. During this period 51 civilians
were gunned down by teh terrorists. The casualties among the securiy
forces and the terrorists were 30 and 90 respectively. The casualties
among security forces, terrorists and the civilians in the month of
July were 28, 126 and 74 respectively. The figures for August were
41,135 and 76.

In the period Ist July to 15 September the number of security forces
personnel killed was 99, whereas the caualties among the terrorists
were 351. The civilians touched a high figure of 201. It indicates tha
on an average 2.5 to 3 civilians are killed daily by the terrorists.

Civilian casualties fall in three categories. Some people, who have
been the victims of terrorists, excesses are collaborating with
security forces to aid them in putting an end to the terrorist menace.
The terrorists have been dealing with this section by inflicting gory
brutalities before killing them. In many cases when terrorists have
been either killed or arrested, they have targetted those civilians
with they last sought shelter or sought some other help. The third
category of civilian victims are people who refuse to comply with the
terrorist diktat for shelter, food, sending children to joine
terrorist ranks or aiding terrorists in other logistics.



Pattern of Violence :

The present paper focusses on the terrorist violence against civilians
in the period which witnessed heightened terrorist violence i.e.
August and September (9 August to October 2, 2003)

Anantnag :

In the Kashmir valley, Anantnag district was the worst-affected,
followed by Kupwara and Pulwama. At Damahal Khushipora terrorist
entered the house of head of local Auqaf, Abdul Ahad Wani and shot him
dead inside his house. He was an old Congress activist and a retired
forester. Abdul Lateef Bimla was shot dead while he was opening his
shop and labelled as informer. He belonged to Ahlan Payeen in
Kokernag. Bashir Ahmed Magrey, resident of Peth Sheikhpora, Achabal
was kidnapped. His dead body was recovered from Gowas forest.

26 year old Abdul Rashid Chouhan of Bon Ahlan, Kolernag was kidnapped
from his house and labelled as informer. His dead body was recovered
next day from Paji Behak. Another Gujjar Mohd. Sakhi Kataria of Damhal
Hanjipora was brutally slaughtered after benig kidnapped at Khou
Batapora, Kulgam. His dead body was recovered frmo a deserted spot. At
Okay in Kulgam Niyaz Ahmed Mir, resident of Chehlan was kidnapped and
killed. Jang Bahaur Singh, a resident of Kreeri was kidnapped. His
dead body was recovered from Kokernag. A dead body, which bore marks
of slaughtering with a knife was recovered from Sehipora on 16th
September. It was identified as Nazir Ahmed Rather, a poor school
teacher of Pariwan, Kulgam. A few days earlier three terrorists had
taken motorbike of his son far a drive towards Kulgam-BSF naka party
had intercepted it. The terrorists jumped down and tried to escape.
BSF fired at them and one terrorist was killed. The two terrorists who
escaped took Nazir for an informer and killed him after kidnapping.
The terrorists do not spare even school boys and young ladies. A 10th
standard student Abdul Hameed Malik was kidnapped from his house at
Batkot and shot at Mehajbeen, a 20-year-old lady was fired at in her
house. Two people were shot at Aishmuqam and Batkoot. During this
period there were 48 incidents of terrorist violence in district
Anantnag.



“Imposition of POTA” :

Another form of reprisals the terrorists indulge in against the
civilians is “attaching” their properties, Kulgam an area which was
sanitised previously came under terrorists’ control after some top
counter-insurgents were killed recently on the evening of 30th
September, a group of heavily armed terrorists appeared at Gudar,
Kulgam. They dislodged members of eight families, two of which members
employed in state police. The terrorists levelled allegations that the
members of these families had been informing their presence and
movement to security forces. They got the houses vacated and put locks
on all the eight houses and threatened reprisals in case anybody dared
to pen the locks. In August this year the terrorists had lifted the
telephone sets from 20 houses at Kaimoh and rendered the local
telephone exchange dysfunctional. They had labelled the residents of
these houses as informers of th security forces. Durnig assembly
elections also the terrorists had attached houses of two NC activists
at Devsar and Pahloo. The terrorists publicly describe this attachment
of property as “imposition of POTA”.



Pulwama :

In district Pulwama there were 36 incidents of terrorist violence. The
civilians were targetted in eight incidents. A person was kidnappede
in Shopian area. His dead body was recovered frmo Asthanpora-Wahipora
in Wachi. Riyaz Ahmed Wani of Harmain was kidnapped. Same evening his
dead body was recovered from Sangram Tularam in same locality. Bashir
Ahmed Lone of Drubgam, Pulwama was shot dead at his house. At
Kathuhalan forest area Gama Poswal, a Bakerwal was kidnapped. A
radio-mechanic Maznoor Ahmed Sheikh was kidnapped at Muran and shot
dead at Dreeri. Gh. Nabi alias Dilshat, a school teacher was kidnapped
from Sheikh Harh, Pulwama. He was detained at a house. Gh. Nabi jumped
from window and managed to escape.

On 20th August at Traal, an eighty-five year old Gujar Alam Din was
kidnapped from his house. He was tortured and his throat was slit
open. Previous fortnight also the terrorist had attacked his house and
torched it. They alleged that he and his sons were acting as
informers. One of his sons escapped with gun shot wounds in the
attack. At Reka Kapran, Shopian Gaffar Bhat was shot dead on September
27.



North Kashmir :

In the two districts of north Kashmir there were eighty incidents of
terrorist violence. Twenty civilians were gunned down by the
terrorists. In Kupwara there was selective targetting of women. On
August 11, terrorists barged into house of Ghulam Hassan Magrey at
Kandi and shot dead his 47 year old wife Zooni. She was labelled as
informer of security forces. Shamima, a resident of Badalpora, Rajawar
was kidnapped, while she was on way to join duty at Anganwari centre.
She was tortured. Next day her body was recovered. Sheeba, wife of
Abdul Aziz Mir was shot dead at Sarmarg, Handwara, Rehana, widow of
Bashir Ahmed, Rishi was kidnapped frmo her house at Watakul-she was
labelled as informer and shot dead.

Terrorists are also indulging in brutalities before killing their
victims. Abdul Ahad Naiko was hanged from a tree at Mughalpura, Gushi.
At Chittibandi, Bandipore Abdul Rehman Mir was kidnapped from his
house. He was dubbed informer and his throat was slit open.

The usual modus operandi of the terrorists is to kidnap people and
torture them before killing. There were such incidents at Kandi Khas,
Rishigund, Bakhipora Rafiabad, Panar Bandipore, Chinkipora (Sopore). A
domestic help Mushtaq Ahmed Deedarh, R/o Bandibala was kidnapped from
the house of Lal Shah, his employer at Nambalyar.

In other instances the terrorists barge into houses and shoot dead
their targets. At Pazipora, Magam (Handwara), terrorists entered the
house of Gh. Mohd. Peer alias Gul Peer. He used to run a small bakery.
Terrorists dubbed him as an informer and gunned him down. At Chak
Nutrioosa the terrorists, after gatecrashing into the house of Ghulam
Ahmed Mir, opened indiscriminate firing on the inmatyes. Gh. Ahmed and
his son Bashir died on spot. Shamba, daughter of the house owner
received injuries. Khazir Mohd. an employee of Home Guards wing of J&K
Police was shot dead at his home in Wudar Bala in Rajwar belt. In
Kreeri Bazar, Patan, Manzoor Ahmed Zargar was shot at in his shop.



Srinagar :

There were thirty incidents of terrorists violence in Srinagar
district but just four incidents of violence against civilians. The
two killings in these incidents occurred in the rural segment—Gutlibag
and Sumbal (Kangan). In the city a youth was shot dead at Zainakadal.
Ghulam Jeelani Qadri, a PWD contractor was kidnapped from his Buchpora
residence. In the afternoon his dead body was recovered frmo
Bagh-e-Ali Mardan area.



Budgam :

Budgam district remained relatively tranquil during this period. There
were just six incidents of terrorist violence. Two civilians were
killed by terrorists at Ranipora and Malapora (Chrar). Besides these
former constable was shot dead at Aripanthan, Beerwah and an
ex-militant was gunned down at Dasan in Beerwah.



Jammu Province :

In the Jammu province the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri were
worse-affected by the terrorist violence. These two districts top in
terms of terrorist violence, the entire state. It has been seen that
the number of civilians killed also increase proportionately as the
graph of terrorist violence goes up. In terms of brutalities also the
non-combant population has suffered terribly in these two districts.
Rahni Begum of Surankote was kidnapped and cyanide was infected into
her on June 21. There have been sord killings also. One Feroz Din
Gujar was killed by forcing him to drink poison..

In Thannamandi, Rajouri terrorists beheaded Mohammad Sabar residence
of Bathian in the house of Bee Jan at More Gugli Bagh near Kakote. On
August 25, three terrorists entered the house of Mohammad Akbar at
village Katarmal, Manjakote and subjected him to interrogation. They
started firing indiscriminately on the inmates of the house. Mohd.
Akbar, his wife Hakim Bi and Zeenat Begum, their daughter-in-law died
on spot. The killers were local terrorists, owning allegiance to
Lashkar-e-Toiba.

A group of terrorists dragged out Haji Bagh Hussain from his house in
village Sam Samad, Rajouri. They asked him to accompany them. He was
gunned down as he refused to comply. The deceased was posted as a
teacher at Govt. School at Sam. He had been serving as a teacher in
BSF for eight years. In 1985 he left BSF to join State government
service. Same group of terrorists kidnapped Mohammad Shabir, a
government teacher at Sam Samad. They took him to a nearby field and
beheaded him. There was lot of local resentment against the killing of
two teachers.

On September 21, terrorist entered house of Wazir Mohammad at village
Laa in Thannamandi and dragged him and his wife Razia Begu. The two
were hanged to death. Wazir was hanged with a rope, whereas Razia was
hanged with her own dupatta. The terrorists dubbed them as informers.
In Thannamandi at village Saj two terrorists entered house of Mohammad
Naseeb. He was not at home. The terrorists beat his wife and set the
house on fire.

Terrorists also killed civilians at Kandi (Rajouri) and Morha Handa,
near Gambhir Muglan (Majakote). At village Kala Khas the terrorists
beheaded Nazir Hussain. The terrorists were local militants of Hizbul
Mujahideen.

The terrorists kidnapped two civilians frmo village Morian, Manjakote,
who was kidnapped at Palanger, Thannamandi. Riyaz Ahmed of Thanna
Manga, Darha was rescued during an encounter in Dhoke forest.

Ponch District :

Surankote has borne the brunt of civilians killings in Poonch
district. On September 4 two local terrorists entered the house of Gh.
Ahmed alias Gamma at Sanglani. They first chopped off his legs and
arms and then beheaded him. He was dubbed as an informer. At village
Dandian near Bafliaz, three terrorist beheaded two young women-Mumtaz
Begum (42), wife of Iqbal Khan and Farzana Kousar (25) wife of Sarwar
Khan. There was lot of resentment among locals on these killings. On
September 17, the terrorists entered the house of Mohammad Kareem at
Dara Sangla and shot him dead. Another civilian was beheaded at upper
Kalai. After beheading him, the terrorists ran away carrying his head
with them. In a similar sequence Shabir Hussain was beheaded in his
house at Seri Chowana in Mandi. The terrorists took away his head
along with them.

At village Taran Wali in Bafliaz, terrorists fired a volley of shots
at Manzoor Hussain. While one terrorist subjected the victim to
questioning, another terrorist opened firing. The victim died on spot.
Three terrorists entered the house of Mohammad Azam at Morha Bachai.
He was taken to a surrounding field and shot dead.

On August 16, 4-5 terrorists entered the house of Rashid Hussain Shah
at Maddana in Lassana. Sixty year old Rashid refused to accompany the
terrorists. He was shot dead at point blank range. Same day terrorists
set ablaze two houses in the village. House of Mohammad Shafi in
village Soliyan, Marhot area was also set on fire. All the household
goods and eight cattle perished in the fire. The incident took place
on September 25. The terrorists struck again in the area and set on
fire four houses of surrendered militants. The militants were still in
custody.

Local terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen gunned down a youth Javed Ahmed
at Marhot. His brother was injured in the firing. The two brothers
were under threat and had migrated frmo Dodi to Marhot.

There was a single incident of civilian killing in Mandi, at village
Hattian in Seri Khwaja. At Chak Banola in Poonch, terrorists dragged
out Mohammad Hussain from his house alongwith his son Nazir Ahmed and
shot them dead.



Mendhar :

There were four civilian killings in Mendhar. Mohammad Riaz was shot
at Thamlot in his house. On August 9, terrorists entered house of
Mohammad Khursheed at Kasblari and opened indiscriminate firing at the
inmates. Mohammad Khursheed 60 and his son Shamim Ahmed 31 died on
spot. Shamim was an army jawan and had come home on leave.

At Naka Majari, a group of terrorists entered house of Farooq Ahmed.
They enquired about his brother Maroof Hussain, a police recruit.
Unable to find him they shot at Maroof’s mother Zamrood Begum and beat
up his sister Shamshad Aktoo with rifle butts.



Mahore-Gool :

During the period under review, there were thirty incidents of
terrorists violence in Udhampur district. All the civilian killings,
however, were confined to Mahore Gool belt. On September 1, three to
four local terrorists belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit barged
into the house of Roshan Din at village Alla Kalla in Shikari
(Mahore). He and his two sons, Nazir and Sher Mohammad were thrashed
with rifle butts. The terrorists then opened indiscriminate fire on
them, killing all he three on spot. Locals protested the over the
killings and described victims as innocent. Terrorists shot dead Noor
Jamal son of Sain Gujar in remote Milky Dhar. He was kidnapped and
then killed in a forest area. Abdul Rashid, a VDC member was fired at
Thuru, where he had taken brief halt. He later bled to death. Mohammad
Qasim Lohar was killed in his house at village Hasot in Chasana,
Mahore.

On September 28 the terrorist struck in a big way at Sain’s family in
Mahore. As, per official version, a lone terrorist wearing a police
uniform ‘dhangri’ struck in the house of Sani and opened
indiscriminate firing with an AK-47 rifle killing four members of the
family and leaving another injured. Victim were identified as Munir
Hussain, 25, a SPO Khadim Hussain, 24 and Mohammad Hussain, 32, all
brothers and sons of Saina and two year old Saddam Hussain, son of
Mohammad Hussain. Sarwar Hussain, 7, son of Sain was seriously
injured. The terrorists, believed to be a local remained untraced.
Sain’s family had been under terrorists’ threat for quite some time.
Due to these threats all four sons of Sain had shifted from their
native village of Ganjakote  to Mahore town, while Sain and other
female members of the family continued to stay put at Ganjakote. The
sons of Sain had taken a room on rent near Bust Stand Mahore. The
house was identified by a local terrorist in police uniform.

In May last, Sain’s son had tipped of security forces about two
foreign mercenaries of Lashkar-e-Toiba. After this, they shad been put
on terrorists’ threat list.

In September at Gool, two terrorists entered the house of Mohammad
Assadullah in school uniform and gunned him down. He was under threat
of terrorists for sometime and had shifted to Gool frmo Deedha.
Assadullah was known in the area for his social works and was quite
friendly with the security forces. The killers were local terrorists
of Hizbul Mujahideen. Assadullah was known in the area for his social
works and was quite friendly with the security forces. The killers
were local terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen. As Assadullah was quite
popular among locals, there was strong resentment over his killing.

The terrorists also targetted VDCs members Pritam Chand and Lochan
Snigh at Dalwah and Gool respectively. VDC members retaliated back and
foiled the attempt. Numberdar Chattar Singh’s house was attacked at a
village Chakali Salta in Reasi.



Doda District :

In sixty incidents of terrorist violence in Doda district, Gandoh and
Banihal remained the prime targets for civilian killings. At village
Chamalwas, 8 kms from Banihal in a brazen act of violence, a group of
terrorists struck on September Ist at the residence of a well-educated
family. At 10 PM a Kashmiri speaking terrorist entered in the house of
Mohammad Rafiq Sohail. He went to the kitchen where the family had
had gathered for pre-marriage celebrations. Both daughter and sister
of Khadim Hussain were scheduled to get married on September 3. Khadim
was the lone elected Sarpanch of Chamalwas and former State Secretary,
Minorities Cell of BJP. The terrorists took Khadim out and engaged him
in conversation. In the process few more terrorists, which included a
foreign terrorist reached the spot and opened firing. Rafiq Sohail,
alineman in PDD sensed troubled. With the help of his son he
overpowered the militant and snatched his rifle. Rafiq, however, could
not operate the weapon. Meanwhile on hearing cries of the militant,
other terrorists entered inside and opened indiscriminate firing.
Rafiq’s other son Irfan, 14, also grappled with another terrorist and
snatched his rifle. A terrorist fired at his abdomen and left him
injured. He later bled to death.

Farid, brother of Khadim made another attempt to pounce upon the
militants. He got killed in the shoot-out. Khadim died because of
fright. Fastima Begum, wife of Munir Ahmed, Numbedar of Chamalwas and
slapped a terrorist. She too was gunned down. In this massacre four
bereaved families were left with 14 orphaned children. In an
unprecedented departure frmo the past, the entire clergy of Banihal
and Ramban declared these brutal killings were purely an act of terror
and not Jehad. One of the terrorists involved in the carnage was
identified as a resident of Sarbagawni and a relative of the bereaved
family. Another terrorist was identified as Hamid. A total of five
terrorists were reportedly involved in the killings..

At Budhan, Ramban, Mohd. Arshad and Mohd. Ismail were kidnapped
Arshad’s body was recovered from Badakund. Ismail was taken to
adjoining forest area and shot dead. Body of Abdul Hamid, resident of
Dallian Bajar, Gandoh was recovered after 3 days of kidnapping from a
forest area terrorists shot dead Ghulam Hassan Mir, resident of Barthi
at village Sui Baggar in Gandoh. In Sanie, Gandoh Ishfaq Ahmed was
shot at and seriously injured. In the same area at Mhabryas terrorists
fired at Abdul Rashid, a Horticulture employee and left him seriously
injured. A fifty-five year old Fateh Mohd. was killed by two local
militants of Hizbul Mujahideen at his house in village Fakwas Pushal,
Gandoh. A VDC member Yog Raj was beheaded at village Huja in Gandoh.
His other colleague Ghulam Mohd. was also kidnapped.

Kishtwar:

Two terrorists entered house of Bahoru Gujar at village Jugnu in
Kishtwar and opened fire. His wife Aishia Begum died in the firing. In
Keshwan village house of Usman was set ablaze.



Bhaderwah :

Hanraj, father of police constable Surjeet Singh was kidnapped from
his house at Bumlakhi and tortured for two days. On 3rd morning his
dead body was recovered. Bitu Kumar, son of Krishanlal, residence of
Mathola was kidnapped from forest area Shafola on September 27.
Centuries old Nag temple at Subhar Dhar was set on fire by the
terrorists on August 12.



Doda :

Liaqat Ali of Sarsi, Doda was kidnapped. After remaining in captivity
for 12 days, he escaped during night and trekked several kms to reach
home.



Kathua :

Panch Devnider Khajuria was kidnapped frmo village Dhana. However, he
managed to escape. In Malhar Hans Raj of Ramkot was kidnapped from
village Rodla.



The Prospect :

Recently, the Army arrested one Mehooda, a resident of Bundgam in
Budgam district. Besides recruiting women in terrorist ranks she, as
per reports, had shot dead a number of terrorist targets in
Beerwah-Baramulla belt.

The rising graph of selective killings of those civilians who refuse
to need the terrorist diktat or aid the security forces, during the
past four months, have hampered the flow of actionable intelligence
for counter-insurgency operations. There are complaints that the
sources are drying up. Indian state has a moral responsibility also to
take full care of this civilian segment of population, which is
pivotal in turning the tide against the terrorists. There is a need to
draw a policy to protect the informers and their families through
innovative strategies. Bureaucratic red-tape often delays  ex-gratia
compensa tion and compassionate recruitment to the victims’ families.
This leads to alienation of a strongly-motivated section. A national
fund should be created to take care of these victims’ families.
Instead of pampering politicians, who indulge in doublespeak and rake
bogey of security forces excesses, these patriotic people deserve a
better deal.



2          Terrorists resort to ethnic-cleansing in Bani

KS Correspondent

JAMMU, June 11, 2003: The terrorists, have let loose a reign of terror
in the hilly villages of Billawar and Bani tehsils. Last month, a
special police officer and a woman were killed in two separate
militancy-related incidents in Roulka village of Bani tehsil. In both
the encounters, which followed, the terrorists managed to give slip to
the security forces.

In Malkar also, which comes in the jurisdiction of Billawar tehsil,
the terrorists continued to strike off and on, resorting to killings,
kidnappings and extortions. On June 8, in broad day light, a group of
terrorists, whose number was stated to be between five to seven,
descended to the village Sadrota from the upper reaches. At gun point,
they kidnapped four civilians and took them to an isolated area. They
were later shot dead.

Next morning the police recovered their bodies from a forest area near
Kamleo Gala village. The killed civilians have been identified as
Sudesh Kumar (28), Hans Raj, both brothers and sons of Paras Ram. They
belonged to village Raya Sayal. The other victims included Dhian Singh
(40) S/o Jodh Singh and Prakash Singh (50), S/o Mast Ram, both
residents of Morha Channa near Seri Galla, falling in village Sadrota.

The terrorists escaped after the killings. Tension gripped Malhar and
Billawar as soon as the report of civilians killings spread. People
resorted to shouting of slogans against police, alleging inadequate
security arrangements in the area that led to the killings.
Authorities disclosed that two army companies would be deployed at
Sarthal, one company each would be stationed at Taggar and Bani.
People have been demanding 'seek and destroy' operations against
terrorists in this area, for quite sometime.

Meanwhile, a youth who was kidnapped by terrorists on the night of
June 8, from a Dhok in the upper reaches of Punera in Basantgarh, Ram
Nagar, was found murdered in forests on June 11. The victim,
identified as 25-year old Rashpal Singh, son of Saneetu, had gone to
the higher reaches to graze his goats. After kidnapping him, he was
taken to some other dhok, where he was forced to cook their food and
carry their belongings to other destinations for a few days. Efforts
of Rashpal's family members to search him proved futile.

It was only after Basantgarh police intercepted a message of the
terrorists regarding killing of Rashpal, the police and the villagers
traced to body from the forest. His neck had been slit by the
terrorists and the semi-decomposed body witnessed marks of torture.

 Source: Kashmir Sentinel