5 more Kashmiri youth abducted, tortured in Indian custody in IIOJK
Srinagar: There are reports about abduction of five more Kashmiri youth by Indian forces’ personnel and their subsequent torture in the Indian army’s custody in Poonch district of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian English newspaper Indian Express in its fresh report revealed that all the victim youth are residents of Topa Pir village of the district. These youth have been identified as Riaz and his brother Farooq, Israel, Jameel and Irfan.
The abduction of eight innocent Kashmiris On December 22, and brutal killing of three of them in custody, has already been reported in the media. Remaining five of these youth were admitted for treatment at Government Medical Hospital, Rajouri. There were five more civilians who were tortured and detained, but their abduction and subsequent torture in Indian army’s custody remained obscured due to “high-profile” visits by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Manoj Pande of the district.
The Indian army spokesperson did not respond to queries about these five men.
On December 22, 2023, eight civilians were picked up from Topa Pir in Poonch district’s Bufliaz area, and five from Rajouri district’s Thanamandi area.
Speaking to the Indian English daily, Israel, one of the five picked up from Topa Pir, said that he got a call asking him to report to an Indian army outpost around 11.30 am on December 22. He said that he was stripped and beaten with lathis and iron rods until he fell unconscious.
He said Showkat, Shabir, Safeer and Riaz were already at the camp, while Farooq, Jameel and Irfan were brought there later. “Every time we fell unconscious, they would drag us out of the room and pour water on us before taking us back in,” he said, adding that the “torture” continued until they were shifted to an Army camp where he regained consciousness at night.
“When I opened my eyes, I saw some Army officials. They asked me not to worry as they were shifting us to a hospital,” Israel said, adding that they were finally admitted around midnight.
