Under occupation: Kashmiris’ lives at the mercy of brutal Indian troops
#ExtrajudicialKillingsInIIOJK
Islamabad: Extrajudicial killings and custodial torture by Indian forces’ personnel have become a regular feature in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, as evidenced by the recent killings of two civilians at the hands of the troops.
According to Kashmir Media Service, two separate incidents of extrajudicial killings have come to light – one in Baramulla district and the other in Kathua district.
In Baramulla, truck driver Waseem Majeed was shot dead after Indian troops opened fire on his vehicle at Sangrama chowk on Wednesday night. The account provided by Indian police regarding the incident raised serious doubts. They claim that the vehicle was signaled to stop at a checkpoint set up by the Indian army but the driver failed to comply. As per their statement, the troops then opened fire at the tyres of the truck to stop it, but the bullet hit the driver. However, eyewitnesses have contradicted this claim, saying that Waseem was never signaled to stop and that the troops shot at him without any prior warning.
In Kathua, a youth named Makhan Din was arrested in the Billawar area on the pretext of being working with pro-freedom activists. He was later tortured to death in custody on Thursday. Indian authorities have claimed that Makhan Din died by suicide, but locals have firmly stated that he was brutally beaten and tortured to death by Indian forces.
These incidents are not isolated but represent a disturbing pattern of extrajudicial killings by Indian troops in IIOJK. Innocent Kashmiri youths are increasingly being targeted with fabricated charges, subjected to torture, and then killed in custody or staged encounters.
According to data, Indian troops, operating under the protection of draconian laws, have killed 96,408 Kashmiris including 7,375 in custody since 1989 in IIOJK. Thousands more have disappeared or endured torture in military-run detention centers.
Critics argue such tactics are aimed at instilling a fear psychosis among the Kashmiris to suppress their UN-recognized right to self-determination demand. “Kashmiris face the trauma of killings, raids, arbitrary arrests and torture under the guise of ‘counterterrorism’”, they say. “The world cannot afford to remain silent while India flouts international law in Kashmir.”
Despite facing relentless brutality by Indian troops, the Kashmiris are determined to continue their struggle. “Modi regime can kill our youth, but it cannot defeat our struggle for self-determination,” said an anonymous Kashmiri activist, fearing retaliation from occupation authorities. Meanwhile, the call for the United Nations has grown louder, urging an independent inquiry into massive human rights violations by Indian troops in IIOJK.
