Indian troops granted impunity to commit killings, other atrocities in IIOJK: Hurriyat parties
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Hurriyat organizations have strongly condemned the escalating atrocities against unarmed Kashmiri civilians, saying that the Modi government has given Indian troops a free hand to carry out indiscriminate violence and killings in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, in separate statements issued in Srinagar, the Hurriyat parties, including Jammu Kashmir Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu Kashmir Muslim League, Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party, Jammu Kashmir Muslim Conference, Tehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami and Pairwan-e-Wilayat, condemned the brutal torture of four innocent laborers by Indian troops in Kishtwar district. These parties have demanded that the responsible army personnel be held accountable and brought to justice. They described the graphic images of the victims, who were subjected to horrific abuse, as deeply disturbing and heart-wrenching. The statements highlighted that the troops had summoned the innocent civilians to their camp for questioning where they were subjected to severe physical torture. This savage incident, they said, has further exposed the brutal face of the occupying Indian forces.
The Hurriyat organizations emphasized that while Indian troops have been committing widespread human rights violations in IIOJK for over 77 years, the scale of their atrocities has reached alarming new heights, particularly over the past 34 years.
The organizations also pointed out the hypocrisy in India’s claims of being the world’s largest democracy, while at the same time, it continues to use military force to suppress peaceful voices calling for freedom in the occupied territory. They criticized India for stripping Kashmiris of their basic rights in retaliation for challenging its illegal occupation. They also condemned the Indian government’s crackdown on free speech, where journalists attempting to report the reality of the situation in Kashmir are subjected to punitive measures.
The Hurriyat groups reaffirmed that the Kashmiri people, with unparalleled courage and resilience, continue to resist India’s oppressive rule. They emphasized that despite the severe repression, Kashmiris will never accept India’s illegal hold of their homeland and will continue their struggle for justice, self-determination, and the end of occupation.
Notably, Indian troops from the 11 Rashtriya Rifles subjected four innocent civilians — Sajjad Ahmad, Abdul Kabir, Mushtaq Ahmad and Mehraj-ud-Din — to extreme torture on Thursday after summoning them to their camp in the Chas area of Mughal Maidan in Kishtwar. After the brutal assault, the troops abandoned the victims, leaving them in critical condition.
