We have no role in civilian killings of 2010: CRPF
SRINAGAR; 29, July 2013: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) denied its involvement in the civilian killings during the 2010 Quit Kashmir Movement.
Stating that “non-lethal” weapons were used as a “last resort on the orders of a Magistrate”, the CRPF has said the onus for any action taken or combating the situation remains that of the civil administration.
This has been stated by the CRPF in its counter affidavit submitted to the J&K High Court this week, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocate Sofi Imtiyaz seeking investigation and registration of FIRs into 117 civilian killings allegedly by Indian security forces in 2010.
The response of the CRPF has come even as the J&K Police has made it clear that it does not need to further investigate the civilian deaths in 2010 as “investigation in almost all cases has been completed”.
“In reply to the affidavits filed by the legal heirs of persons allegedly killed during civil disturbances in the summer of 2010, it is submitted that out of the 44 affidavits, 15 have made allegations against the CRPF, and in reply to those, it is categorically denied that any personal of the CRPF is responsible for the deaths,” Deputy
Inspector General (DIG) of the CRPF, Group Centre, Rambagh, Srinagar, AL Dutta has submitted in his counter affidavit before the high court.
“The allegations against the CRPF personal are incorrect and vague in material and cannot be relied upon,” the counter affidavit states.
To quell the civilian protests during the Quit Kashmir Movement 2010, the state government had also deployed the CRPF alongside the J&K Police personnel in the Kashmir valley. Apart from allegations against the J&K Police, there were also widespread allegations against the CRPF that its troopers resorted to “indiscriminate” use of force during the protests, resulting in scores of civilian deaths.
However, in its submissions to the court, the CRPF has brushed aside all these allegations saying that maintaining law and orders during the unrest was the responsibility of the civil administration. “The law and order is the responsibility of the state government, which it maintains through the state police and, if required, with the assistance of the Central Police organisations”, the CRPF has said.
“Even when the CRPF is deployed, the responsibility for coordination remains with the civil administration. To assist the CRPF, a magistrate and the police are attached to it and the onus for any action taken or combating the situation remains that of the civil administration”, the CRPF has further submitted.
Stating that the CRPF has been “requisitioned on a long-term basis” in J&K in view of the “grave law and order situation” arising out of militancy, it has been said that the CRPF is trained in “minimum and graded” use of force as laid down in Standing Operating Procedure (SOP).
“The allegations against the CRPF are pure imagination and completely false. The deponent categorically denies the blame as there is not even a single indicator to show that the CRPF was responsible for the alleged deaths,” said the CRPF DIG in the counter affidavit while adding that despite provocation and injury, the CRPF had showed maximum restraint during the 2010 summer unrest in Kashmir.
“Non-lethal weapons were used as a last resort for self-defence on the orders of a Magistrate”, it is said. Allegations made The PIL seeks investigation and registration of FIRs into 117 civilian killings allegedly by Indian forces in 2010
In the 45 affidavits filed by the families of victims before J&K High Court, 15 had blamed the CRPF for the deaths. The CRPF has however denied its hand in the deaths
Following large-scale killings in 2010, the government had appointed a two-member commission of inquiry to probe the civilian killings in Kashmir on account of action taken by the police and paramilitary forces
The CRPF, however, chose to challenge the probe by the commission of inquiry and succeeded in getting a high court stay, which barred the commission from ‘finalising’ its probe findings
The J&K police in its latest status report to the HC, while saying there is no need for further probe in the civilian deaths of 2010, has also opposed the inquiry commission.
Click here to read full story of martyrs 2010
Stating that “non-lethal” weapons were used as a “last resort on the orders of a Magistrate”, the CRPF has said the onus for any action taken or combating the situation remains that of the civil administration.
This has been stated by the CRPF in its counter affidavit submitted to the J&K High Court this week, which is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by advocate Sofi Imtiyaz seeking investigation and registration of FIRs into 117 civilian killings allegedly by Indian security forces in 2010.
The response of the CRPF has come even as the J&K Police has made it clear that it does not need to further investigate the civilian deaths in 2010 as “investigation in almost all cases has been completed”.
“In reply to the affidavits filed by the legal heirs of persons allegedly killed during civil disturbances in the summer of 2010, it is submitted that out of the 44 affidavits, 15 have made allegations against the CRPF, and in reply to those, it is categorically denied that any personal of the CRPF is responsible for the deaths,” Deputy
Inspector General (DIG) of the CRPF, Group Centre, Rambagh, Srinagar, AL Dutta has submitted in his counter affidavit before the high court.
“The allegations against the CRPF personal are incorrect and vague in material and cannot be relied upon,” the counter affidavit states.
To quell the civilian protests during the Quit Kashmir Movement 2010, the state government had also deployed the CRPF alongside the J&K Police personnel in the Kashmir valley. Apart from allegations against the J&K Police, there were also widespread allegations against the CRPF that its troopers resorted to “indiscriminate” use of force during the protests, resulting in scores of civilian deaths.
However, in its submissions to the court, the CRPF has brushed aside all these allegations saying that maintaining law and orders during the unrest was the responsibility of the civil administration. “The law and order is the responsibility of the state government, which it maintains through the state police and, if required, with the assistance of the Central Police organisations”, the CRPF has said.
“Even when the CRPF is deployed, the responsibility for coordination remains with the civil administration. To assist the CRPF, a magistrate and the police are attached to it and the onus for any action taken or combating the situation remains that of the civil administration”, the CRPF has further submitted.
Stating that the CRPF has been “requisitioned on a long-term basis” in J&K in view of the “grave law and order situation” arising out of militancy, it has been said that the CRPF is trained in “minimum and graded” use of force as laid down in Standing Operating Procedure (SOP).
“The allegations against the CRPF are pure imagination and completely false. The deponent categorically denies the blame as there is not even a single indicator to show that the CRPF was responsible for the alleged deaths,” said the CRPF DIG in the counter affidavit while adding that despite provocation and injury, the CRPF had showed maximum restraint during the 2010 summer unrest in Kashmir.
“Non-lethal weapons were used as a last resort for self-defence on the orders of a Magistrate”, it is said. Allegations made The PIL seeks investigation and registration of FIRs into 117 civilian killings allegedly by Indian forces in 2010
In the 45 affidavits filed by the families of victims before J&K High Court, 15 had blamed the CRPF for the deaths. The CRPF has however denied its hand in the deaths
Following large-scale killings in 2010, the government had appointed a two-member commission of inquiry to probe the civilian killings in Kashmir on account of action taken by the police and paramilitary forces
The CRPF, however, chose to challenge the probe by the commission of inquiry and succeeded in getting a high court stay, which barred the commission from ‘finalising’ its probe findings
The J&K police in its latest status report to the HC, while saying there is no need for further probe in the civilian deaths of 2010, has also opposed the inquiry commission.
Click here to read full story of martyrs 2010
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