Crackdown on human rights abuses by the Army begins

16 May, 2008 03:55:00

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Srinagar May 16: The Army has punished 80 personnel after they were found guilty of violation of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir over the past 19 years and others involved in the act will not be spared, a senior official said. "Three per cent of 1,400 accusations of human rights abuses levelled against the army during past 19 years have been found true and punitive action has been taken against the accused soldiers," General Officer commanding Srinagar-based 15 corps, Lt Gen Mukesh Sabharwal said at a seminar, "Exploration of helpful ideas for Jammu and Kashmir" in Srinagar on Thursday. Sabharwal said the troops found involved in acts of rights abuse will not be spared. He said 26 accusations of human rights abuses against the troops have been found true and 80 defaulters have been punished ranging from dismissal to ten years rigorous imprisonment. However, as compared to armies of other countries, the Indian Army has committed minimum rights violations, he claimed "Deliberate attempts were made by militants and over ground workers to tarnish the image of the forces, he said, adding that forces would carry out people friendly operations to safeguard human rights," he said. "People friendly operations means cause minimum inconvenience to the people, use of minimum force or minimum collateral damage and zero tolerance of Human Rights Violations," he added. Member of National Human Rights Commission Y Bhaskar Rao, Chintamani Mahapatra, a professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University and former DGP of Punjab police P C Dogra comprised of the panel heading the seminar.

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