BeyondHeadlines News Desk
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was on boil for last two days following death of six civilians in Ramban district on 18 July 2013 when Border Security Force (BSF) opened fire at protesters.
A group of people was protesting over alleged desecration of Holy Quran and thrashing of a local imam in a madrasa in Dharam village of Ramban by the BSF personnel.
Ramban SP Javed Ahmad, who was present at the time of the firing outside the BSF post, told a national English daily that he had a “miraculous escape”.
“The BSF men opened fire suddenly. I too would have been killed had my colleague not dragged me away,” Ahmad added.
The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) has condemned the killing of six protesters in J&K by BSF and called it a “grave and systematic human rights abuses by BSF”.
“The heavy-handed manner in which the BSF personnel engage with civilians is an issue that is prevalent in all border areas, including the West Bengal-Bangladesh border.”
FORUM-ASIA Chairperson Henri Tiphagne stated: “Civil society organizations taking up these issues have also been accused of maligning and tampering with the reputation of the state before the international community.
“The killing of innocent civilians in this latest instance only goes to prove the seriousness and urgency of these concerns,” added Tiphagne.
Acting Executive Director of FORUM-ASIA, Giyoun Kim, has demanded suspension and prosecution of the BSF personnel involved in the incident.
“We call upon the government to suspend and prosecute the BSF personnel involved in the incident. The state and national human rights commissions must also closely monitor the situation and prevent further deterioration.” Kim said.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has demanded that an independent commission should be set up to probe the killing of protesters by BSF in Ramban.
Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director at HRW, said: “Any finding of illegal use of force by BSF troops should result in prosecutions. Too often the BSF’s version of events is simply accepted, allowing killing after killing for which no one is held to account.”
The HRW said that the Indian government must take action to “end the BSF’s long-standing impunity for large number of killings over many years”.
