Srinagar: The year 2016 which witnessed a massive uprising post the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani has been one of the most violent years in the recent history.
According to a survey report prepared by Human Rights Division of Hurriyat Conference (M), 389 deaths were reported in 2016 in different incidents. The graph of killings this year has witnessed a steep increase compared to the previous year. In 2015, 206 persons were killed in different incidents.
The report, a copy of which lies with the KNS in 2016, 389 persons were killed in which 151 were civilians, 80 armed forces and police personnel and 158 militants.
In 2016, out of the 151 civilians killed, 119 persons were killed in forces action. Among these 119 persons, 02 persons were extra judicially executed. At least 18 persons killed by the forces had pellet injuries and 08 persons died due to hits by tear smoke shells while 05 persons died due to heart attack allegedly during the raids etc and 04 civilians were drowned during chase by the forces. At the same time one person died allegedly due to suffocation caused by the tear smoke shells, reads the report.
According to the report, two persons were killed in cross firing incidents between forces and militants and 13 persons have been killed by unidentified gunmen.
14 civilians were killed in firing or shelling between Indian and Pakistani troops. 03 civilians died due to accidents caused allegedly by the roadblocks etc during the protests, it reads, according to KNS.
Accordingly, among the 80 forces and police personnel killed during this year, 02 police personnel lost their lives due to attacks by the mobs during protests. The report highlights that (During the unrest a couple of death cases were mysterious and regarding a few civilians deaths, authorities claim that they died due to other reasons but the families of victims and other witnesses refute their claims).
The number of injured during this year is over 16,000, more than 70 per cent injured were hit by the deadly pellets.
Around 1200 persons have been pelted to blindness in one eye, including toddlers, teenagers and old aged men and women. More than 40 persons suffered pellet injuries in both eyes and lost eye sight.
Hundreds received lifelong (crippled) injuries. Hundreds suffered fractures and other injures due to thrashing and beatings by the forces while as hundreds of persons got injured in stone throwing incidents.
While as over 3300 forces personnel were also injured in stone throwing incidents during clashes, the number of injured during the turmoil is very high and will take a lot of time and effort for documentation, therefore, a comprehensive report will be compiled and released subsequently separately.
The Hurriyat report compiled by Manan Bukhari who heads the Human Rights Division of Hurriyat faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq further reads that Jammu and Kashmir witnessed one of the worst crackdowns since July 8, in which more than 13,000 people were arrested, detained and jailed. A massive arrest drive across Kashmir started after the uprising which started on July 8, and hunt to arrest more is on.
Youth were arrested in large numbers to contain the unrest. The arrested persons include a good number of students as well and even minors were apprehended in disregard to the rules and laws.
During this year more than 670 persons including minors were detained under this Lawless Law, it highlights. (KNS)
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