J&K govt refuses to accept Rs 10 lakh relief recommendation for ‘human shield’

The Mehbooba Mufti-led government in Jammu and Kashmir has refused to accept the State Human Rights Commission’s (SHRC) recommendations to pay Rs 10 lakh compensation to 26-year-old human shield victim Farooq Ahmad Dar.

Dar of Chill village was on his way to Gampora to offer condolences when he was picked up by troops of 53 Rashtriya Riffles (RR) , led by Major Nitin Leetul Gogoi in Beerwa-Budgam near Utligam, and tied to the bonnet of a jeep before parading him in around a dozen villages on April 9.

While Major Gogoi later defended his actions saying he had saved lives and dubbed Dar as “ring leader who instigated the stone-pelting mob”, the incident had sparked massive anger and outrage.

Later in July, the SHRC in its landmark ruling recommended Rs 10 lakh compensation to Dar for suffering “humiliation, physical, psychological torture, stress, wrongful restrain and confinement”.

Four months on, the government has questioned the SHRC’s jurisdiction, saying the grounds on which the compensation has been recommended cannot be accepted due to varied reasons. The government said since the investigation is on, paying compensation would amount to establishing the guilt of the accused.

“The incident has left me shattered. The government’s denial to pay compensation has added to my woes. I am unable to make my ends meet,” Dar said, while protesting against the government’s action.

Main opposition party National Conference  lashed out at the state government for denying and ridiculing SHRC recommendation of issuing compensation.