412 booked under Public Safety Act since 5 August, says report by Kashmir-based rights group
The report by Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons says six civilians were killed since 5 August.
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has slapped 662 individuals with the Public Safety Act (PSA) this year, out of which 412 were booked under the stringent law after 5 August when the Narendra Modi government revoked Article 370.
This was revealed in a report titled ‘Annual 2019 Human Rights Review’ by the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) that was released Tuesday.
PSA is a law that allows the detention of individuals without trial for up to two years.
The report also states that contrary to the central government’s claims of no ordinary citizen being killed in police firingsince 5 August, six “civilian killings” were recorded across Kashmir.
Among the six deaths, the report mentions, is a youth who drowned in a river after being allegedly chased by security forces in Srinagar and three other individuals, including a woman, who died after inhaling either pepper or tear gas used to quell protesters.
The report also states that 80 civilians were killed this year during violence in the state as well as 159 militants and 129 security force personnel deaths. Total encounters this year, it claims, were 87, and 195 cordon and search operations were conducted.
Published in ThePrint.In on December 31, 2019
