TRUST DEFICIT

Security forces need to win the confidence of tribals in the Pir Panjal region to stymie the rise of terror

- TARIQ BHAT

THE GUJJARS and Bakerwals of Kashmir’s Pir Panjal region are at the centre of attention yet again. On December 21, the People’s Anti-Fascist Front, allegedly a proxy of Jaish-e-Mohammad, attacked two Army vehicles, killing four soldiers and injuring three.

In the aftermath, security forces apprehended eight men from Topa Pir, one of the villages where the Gujjars and Bakerwals live. Though five of them were released after protests by villagers, three—Safeer Ahmed, 37, Muhammed Showkat, 26, and Shabir Ahmed, 30—were found dead the following day. A video showing the men being tortured, allegedly by soldiers, led to widespread outcry throughout the Pir Panjal region, which spans the districts of Rajouri and Poonch. The National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party condemned the alleged custodial killings, demanding justice for the deceased. The government was quick to impose restrictions, cut the internet and announce compensation and job offers for the families of the men. The Army initiated an inquiry into the incident and three officers, including a brigadier, were transferred. Army Chief General Manoj Pande met senior commanders and soldiers and asked them to conduct operations professionally.

The death of the three men has shaken their families. Safeer’s brother Noor Ahmed, a Border Security Force head constable posted in Rajasthan, said, “His neck was broken and they also gave him electric shock. His death has shattered our lives. Who will take care of his four children and widow now?”