J-K deaths: Cong seeks independent probe

Congress leaders who are part of the coalition government in the state have demanded that a high-level independent commission be set up to inquire into recent deaths of protesters at the hands of security forces.

On Monday, loyalists of Union Health Minister and former J&K chief Ghulam Nabi Azad held a meeting at the house of Roads & Buildings Minister G M Saroori and demanded appointment of an independent commission into the recent civilian killings in Sopore, Baramulla, Anantnag and Srinagar, that would submit its report within 15 days. They also sought "exemplary punishment" for those involved in the killings.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Congress leaders said the recent killings needed to be thoroughly investigated. "Without wasting any time, the government should set up an independent commission to probe the killing of youths in the Valley and the Commission should make its report public within 15 days," the leaders said.

Besides Saroori, the meeting was attended by former MLA Haji Rashid Dar, MLC Amin Bhat, PCC state secretary Surinder Singh, former MLA Faqir Khan, former advisor to chief minister Manzoor Ganai, Zahid Hussein Jan and Mushtaq Ahmad.

"Our party workers should take the middle course, of truthfulness and justice between the two extremes," Congress state chief Saifuddin Soz said elsewhere, addressing a gathering of Congress workers in central Kashmir. "The J&K Police and other forces should exercise restraint and should not open fire that results in killings."

Another Congress leader and Minister of Public Health Engineering, Taj Mohiuddin, had termed the situation in the Valley tense and said the Army's assistance could be sought to control law and order. "We have even asked Deputy Commissioners of troubled districts to seek assistance from local station commanders of the Army," he said.

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