SRINAGAR: Justice (Retd) Moti Lal Koul who in his report has indicted CRPF personnel for killing of three unarmed youth at Gagrin area of Shopian district, Monday urged upon the new government to initiate action against the guilty personnel.
He said that it has been almost a year now when he submitted his report to the previous government but so far no action has been initiated against the guilty.
Koul told CNS that inaction over the recommendations submitted by the Commission has not only put his credibility at stake but also it will have send a wrong signal and people will start losing faith among Commissions and Committees entrusted the job to probe any important matter.
Justice (retd) ML Koul with regard to Shopian (Gagrin) killings on September 7, 2013 indicted CRPF for the innocent killings and had submitted his report in July 2014.
Four persons including three innocent youth and a Pakistani militant was killed in CRPF firing at Gagrin Shopian on September 7, when music maestro Zubin Mehta performed in Srinagar. The Commission while justifying the killing of Pakistani militant Abdullah Haroon, had termed the other three slain youth as innocent and had demanded stern action against the guilty CRPF personnel.
We had submitted our report based on facts in July 2014 but that has been eating dust in the Home Department. I have been also probing the killings of over 110 youth in 2010 summer unrest and if no action would be taken on Shopian report, the inquiry that is going on about 2010 killings will lose importance, Koul said adding that report is gathering dust and no action was initiated by the previous NC-Congress Coalition Government.
In its report Koul had indicted two CRPF jawans Ashok Kumar Pathania and constable Santosh Kumar who according to Commission were responsible for firing 32 shots on people after killing three innocent youth, Tariq Ahmad Mir, Tauseef Ahmad and Muhammad Yusuf and a Pakistani militant Abdullah Haroon.
In its report Justice Koul had also made recommendations that the dependents of the deceased youth be paid compensation (Rs 4 lakh) saying that Sami Jan widow of deceased Muhammad Yousuf Sofi and Ghulam Muhammad Bhat son of Tawseef Bhat need compensation as they live in abject poverty. Besides the Commission had also recommended that two persons who are the close relatives of the slain youth be appointed under SRO 43 of 1994 on the basis of educational qualification in any government department. We dont know what happened to the report. Neither guilty were punished, nor facts were made public, said a relative of a slain youth awaiting justice.
Pertinently then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said the report submitted by the one-man panel was being examined.
Justice (retd) ML Koul appealed to the new government at dispensation to initiate action over the recommendations of the Commission.
I did my job and now government has to deliver justice. I am hopeful that truth will prevail the PDP-BJP Government will nail the guilty, Koul said.
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