The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday announced jobs to the kin of three civilians who were found dead on Friday near the site of Thursday’s terrorist ambush in Poonch district even as family members of the deceased men and political parties in Kashmir alleged these as “custodial deaths” in an Army camp.
“The death of three civilians was reported yesterday in Baffliaz of Poonch District. The medico legal formalities were conducted and legal action in this matter has been initiated by the appropriate authority. Government has announced compensation for each of the deceased. Further Government has also announced compassionate appointments to the next of kin of each deceased,” said a statement issued on X by the department of information and public relations of the J&K administration.
The bodies of the three men were buried today afternoon in their native village Topa Peer in the presence of Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar, Poonch district magistrate Choudhary Mohammad Yasin, senior superintendent of police Vinay Kumar and other officials.
The deceased were identified as Safeer Hussain, 44, son of Mir Hussain, Showket Ali, 22, son of Nazir Hussain and Shabir Hussain, 32, son of Wali Mohammad of Topa Peer village. On Saturday morning, around 8am, bodies of the three men were handed over to their families after post-mortem inside an army camp.
There were reports that the Army men had picked up 8 persons from the village for interrogating them on the suspicion of having helped the terrorists who on Thursday ambushed two Army vehicles and killed four men in uniform.
Meanwhile, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti demanded stern action against the guilty and compensation of Rs.50 lakh to kin of each killed.
National Conference and Apni Party held protests in Srinagar against the “custodial killing” of the three persons.