On July 25, 2012, a 19-year old Hilal Ahmed Dar of Aloosa village of Bandipura district was picked up by the security forces, shot dead in custody and declared a terrorist.
On the protest by the locals, it revealed later that the young boy was deceitfully called out of his house, taken to an isolated place and cold bloodedly murdered by the security forces. An old rusted rifle was placed on his body to declare him a militant and justify their callous and shameful act.
This is not something new. Indian security forces and state authorities have been doing it for decades. On April 30, 2010 in a fake encounter three youth, Shezad Ahmad, Riyaz Ahmad and Mohammad Shafi, hailing from Nadihal village of Baramulla, were killed at Machil by army officer of 4 Rajput Rifles in a staged encounter and later dubbed as foreign militants. In Pathribal case of year 2000 also, locals were killed in a fake encounter by the Indian security forces.
Investigations in several cases have revealed that thousands of Kashmiris have been killed in staged encounters. Over 2700 unnamed graves, which have been discovered in the occupied territory, are of those people who have been killed in fake encounters and in custody. According to the reports of human rights organizations, more than 10,000 innocent Kashmiris have so far been subjected to forced disappearances, which is ought to happen as Indian Army grants promotions and other monetary benefits to its officers depending on their performance in cleansing the youth in IOK, which opposes Indian repressive regime and fighting for their right of self determination. The practice goes on under new Indian Army Chief as well.
While Kashmiris bear the brunt, the World Community and international human rights organizations are looking for the other way. After all Iraq, Afghanistan, Middle East are more important than Kashmir. There the stakes are higher, Kashmiris in any case are children of lesser god.
