Srinagar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a comprehensive action-taken report from the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary within eight weeks on the directions of the erstwhile State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) vis-a-vis a Kashmiri Pandit father and son killed in 1990.
The complaint was moved by Rajinder Premi, son of Sarwanand Koul Premi, a well-known Kashmiri Pandit writer and poet who was killed along with his son by militants in April 1990.
Last year, the Jammu and Kashmir government recognized the literary contribution of Sarwanand Premi and he was conferred with lifetime achievement award posthumously.
This year, the Jammu and Kashmir government also renamed an educational institution in Anantnag district after Sarwanand Koul Premi .
The NHRC on October 27 observed that several directions have been given earlier to give effect to the recommendation of erstwhile SHRC.
The NHRC said the Jammu and Kashmir administration must sanction a reasonable amount which could be sufficient to compensate for the personal, physical and other losses of the Premi family.
“At the cost of repetition, the Commission will appreciate if the Jammu and Kashmir administration realizes the pain and agony and the prolonged misery of the complainant who has not only been ousted from the home state but also suffered huge personal loss resulting him to run from pillar to post to get justice,” the order said.
“The family had been subjected to forced ousting resulting thereby a huge harassment both from society point of view, besides personal loss,” it read.
“So, it is expected that the Jammu and Kashmir administration must sanction a reasonable amount which could be sufficient to compensate their personal, physical and other losses and such compensation should be awarded in a time bound manner without any delay,” it added.
The NHRC also directed the police to issue a complete revised and rectified FIR, giving the full factual details of trespassers, looting and kidnapping.
Despite the direction of the erstwhile SHRC to hand over the case to some other police officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police, nothing has happened, it said.
“Therefore, it is incumbent upon the administration to initiate special investigation team to look afresh into the heinous crimes to bring the culprits to book for speedy justice to the victim,” the order read.
The NHRC expressed displeasure with the way the Jammu and Kashmir government is responding in the instant case as the matter was pending since 2012.
