Article

2007-02-01 India-Pakistan

Indian anti-terrorism troops accused of executing civilians

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Posted by Steve White 2007-02-01 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 These are not 'troops'.
The SOG are a unit of Kashmiri police.

Posted by john 2007-02-01 05:47|| 2007-02-01 05:47|| Front Page Top

#2 19 SOG men accused of custodial kiling

KOKERNAG, Jan 31: The investigations in the alleged custodial killing of Abdul Rehman Padder, a resident of Larnoo-Kokernag, are likely to dig up more skeletons hiding in the SOG cupboard with the name of another 'missing' person from the neighbouring village figuring up.

Sources in the police maintained that the case is also linked to the disappearance of another 35 year old man, Nazir Ahmed Decka, son of Abdul Rehman Decka of Deesu village in Duksam-Kokernag.
Sources maintained that during investigations, Decka's suitcase was recovered from the house of Farooq Ahmed Padder, an SOG personnel, who also hailed from Larnoo and is accused of the alleged custodial killing of Abdul Rehman Padder. Sources maintained that the latter was lured by Farooq who also promised him a job and it was in his house that Abdul Rehman stayed on his way from Alasteng back to his home, after which he disappeared.

Farooq is among the 11 SOG men detained or arrested in the case, five of whom were picked up today. One SSP and a DySP were attached on Monday last. Sources in the police said that at least 19 cops are accused of the crime and may be arrested soon.

Meanwhile, thousands of people today protested against the SOG at the residence of Abdul Rehman Padder, 125 kilometers away from Srinagar, demanding severe punishment to the guilty.
Padder, 35, a carpenter was killed in a fake encounter on the outskirts of Srinagar and later labeled as a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant from Multan. People raised slogans against the security forces and demanded severe punishment for the persons who have been arrested in this connection so far.

Around 20,000 people including women and children had assembled near the residence of Padder who had come from adjoining areas like Draway, Khrati, Desu, Shutar, Noubogh, Matigawran and Larnoo.
"We are not safe here. The entire area has been occupied by the SOG, BSF and CRPF personnel," said a woman, who was raising slogans against the killing of Padder. She added that government should ensure the security of the inhabitants living in Kokernag area.

The people around this woman echoed her voice, add that Padder's is not the only incident that has gripped the area in chaos and confusion but people are yet to receive any information about the whereabouts of other people who have disappeared from the same area.

Meanwhile the family members of Padder including his father Ghulam Rasool, 70, Sara, 65 (mother of Padder), Muneera, 30 (Wife of Padder) and five kids Rasi Jaan, 11, Gazia, 6, Rahil, 3 and three months old Insha reached Srinagar today for the DNA testing. "We have been directed by the SP South to reach Srinagar for DNA testing," said Ghulam Rasool father of Padder.

However, the police sources said that the team of experts from Central Forensic Laboratory (CFL)
Chandigarh has not arrived in Srinagar so far and is expected to reach here in a day or two.
It is in place to mention here that Senior Superintendent of police (SSP) Ganderbal Hans Raj Parihar and Deputy Superintendent of police (DSP) Bahadur Ram have been attached with the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and four SOG men have been detained in Padder's case.
Sources in police added that a camp has been established by police in Batmaloo police station in order to ensure the investigations free from public gaze. "The Special Investigation Team (SIT) was investigating the case in Sheergari police station, but the same has been shifted to Batmaloo police station to avoid any leak out," added the sources.
Education minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today visited the residence of Padder and assured the family members of every kind of support.
Meanwhile, when contacted, DIG Central Kashmir Range Farooq Ahmad said, that the team of experts from CFL Chandigarh is expected to arrive in Srinagar on Friday. When asked about the delay in the arrival of experts, DIG who is supervising the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case said that team has to complete certain formalities first.
"The investigations are going on round the clock and they are heading in the right direction with story emerging out with every passing day. The shifting of SIT to Batmaloo police station is immaterial," he added.

Posted by john 2007-02-01 06:04|| 2007-02-01 06:04|| Front Page Top

#3 Spadledoopia spreads to India.

Posted by gromgoru 2007-02-01 09:29|| 2007-02-01 09:29|| Front Page Top

#4 Thanks for the info, John. Some interesting "insight" there. I wondered if these were real Indian Troops or some other quasi-wildwest-cowboys.

Posted by BA 2007-02-01 09:53|| 2007-02-01 09:53|| Front Page Top

#5 The Kashmiri Police SOG are quite ruthless. Some local Kashmiri terrorists who threatened the families of SOG members quickly found that their own family members disappeared.
Being police, they have informers in the local criminal underworld and are quite effective at counter-insurgency.
There are Federal Indian Police there as well - the CRPF.
The Indian government wants the BSF out of all urban areas. These border paramilitary troops wear green camo and are often mistaken for Indian soldiers. Having only CRPF and local Kashmiri police involved in counter-insurgency will lessen Kashmiri resentment they feel.
The example of the Punjab is instructive. The Indian army didn't crush the insurgency. It was the local Punjab police, under a ruthless Sikh commander named KPS Gill who quite literally exterminated the insurgents.

Posted by john 2007-02-01 14:48|| 2007-02-01 14:48|| Front Page Top

#6 Thousands of protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir have snatched the body of a civilian as it was being exhumed by police.

The body of Abdul Rehman Paddar was being exhumed in Sumbal area after being identified by his family so that medics could take DNA samples.

Mr Paddar was killed by the anti-militancy Task Force in Sumbal area in December.

Police said that he was a top militant.

The authorities now believe that Mr Paddar paid 80,000 rupees (nearly $2,000) to a policeman in order to get a government job.

But it is suspected that the policeman arranged for him killed.

The state government has ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

Posted by john 2007-02-01 16:02|| 2007-02-01 16:02|| Front Page Top

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