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Judicial probe ordered into J&K firing

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to order a judicial probe by a high court judge into Monday's police firing on protesting villagers at Bulbul Nowgam in the south Kashmir district of Anantnag.

This was stated by Minister of State for Home Mushtaq Ahmad Lone last night after visiting the village.

He told rediff.com that a decision in this regard has already been taken and the order would be issued today.

The villagers who have been protesting for the past one week allege that those killed at Pathribal were civilians. The civilians were picked up from various areas in Anantnag after the Sikh massacre.

Anantnag has been paralysed for the past one week in view of the strike called by the Joint Action Committee.

The JAC has been demanding that the charred bodies of those killed in Pathribal be exhumed to conduct a DNA test.

"We have already directed the district administration to exhume the bodies and senior forensic experts will be taking samples for the tests," said the minister.

He described the Anantnag incident as "serious" and added "we will take action against those involved".

Meanwhile, life in the entire Kashmir valley has been crippled in view of a general strike called by the separatist All-Party Hurriyat Conference and the Kashmir Bar Association.

Business establishments in the entire valley have been closed and traffic has been off the roads.

Anantnag continues to be under curfew and troops are patrolling the streets to maintain law and order.

In Srinagar, tight security arrangements have been made to maintain peace.

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