DEATH OF 3 CIVILIANS | Justice will be delivered: Defence Minister

Rajouri, Dec 27: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday assured that justice would be delivered in the incident involving killing of three civilians and injuries to many others, post terrorist attack on army vehicles in dense forest area of Dehra Ki Gali-Bufliyaz in Surankote sub division of Poonch district.

He gave this assurance, during his visit to Rajouri district when he met the family members of these civilians.

Three civilians from Topi Peer village died under mysterious conditions while half a dozen others from the area were injured amid allegations that they all were detained by army for questioning into the incident of attack in which four army personnel lost their lives while three others were injured.

Five civilians from villages of Bhangai and Hasplote in Thanamandi sub division of Rajouri also sustained injuries. They are under treatment in GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri as they, too, have been allegedly beaten during questioning.

Officials said that Next of Kin and family members of three deceased civilians were brought to Dak Bungalow Rajouri on the directions of the Ministry of Defence where Rajnath Singh along with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha met them.

These people are family members and relatives of

Safeer Hussain, 43, son of Mir Hussain; Mohammad Showket, 27, son of Nazir Hussain and Mohammad Shabir, 32, son of Wali Mohammad, all residents of Topi, Bufliyaz village in Surankote of Poonch district, who died under mysterious conditions amid allegations that they were detained for questioning after the attack.

The family members, insiders said, told the Defence Minister that the three deceased men along with the injured were innocent, having no role in terrorism.

The Defence Minister gave a patient hearing to them and assured that justice would be delivered.

He, later, also visited GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri where five injured men from Thanamandi sub division of Rajouri were hospitalised and under treatment.

They included Mohammad Betab (23) and his younger brother Mohammad Zilfkar (17), Fazal Hussain (48), Mohammad Farooq (35) and Mohammad Ashraf (48).

In GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri, the Defence Minister visited the special medical ward where these people were hospitalised and met them as well as their attendants.

In a brief interaction with some local people and media persons during a visit to GMC AH Rajouri, the Defence Minister reiterated that justice would be delivered.

"I have met the injured who were hospitalized here. Have told them also that justice will be delivered,” he said.

“We told the visiting minister that our people are innocent and have no link with terrorism despite after which they have been beaten like anything." the members of families said who added that the Minister assured that justice will be delivered.

"We have suffered losses of our family members who were innocent. We informed this to Defense Minister who has assured us of justice." said family members of three people from Topi Peer village who died under mysterious conditions after the attack and were allegedly among those detained by army for questioning in the incident of ambush attack by terrorists.

“We are satisfied after meeting with the Defence Minister and LG of Jammu and Kashmir,” they said, while calling for justice.