Srinagar/Kishtwar, 21 November 2024 – Four civilians detained for questioning following a militant attack in Kishtwar have allegedly been tortured while in military custody, according to a report by The Wire.
The detained men—Sajad Ahmad, Abdul Kabir, Mushtaq Ahmad, and Mehraj-ud-Din, all residents of Kuath village—were called to the army’s camp in Chas, in the Mughal Maidan tehsil of Kishtwar, on the morning of November 20. They went alone, telling their families they would return soon. However, after not hearing from them and receiving no responses to repeated phone calls, their families grew worried and went to check on them.
By the time they arrived at the camp, the victims had been released, but they were badly injured. According to The Wire, the men had visible signs of assault. Two of them had bluish-red marks on their legs and buttocks, indicating they were likely flogged. One had a head injury, and another suffered a severely swollen eye from a blow.
This incident comes just days after a military personnel was killed in a militant attack in Kishtwar on November 10. Since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, militancy has seen an uptick in the Chenab Valley, Jammu and Pir Panchal regions, with hundreds of civilians being detained for questioning.
The torture allegations also come less than a year after the Indian military was accused of killing three civilians during custodial interrogation in Poonch district.
A military investigation later found ‘lapses in the conduct of several personnel,’ though no formal charges were filed.