OBSERVER BUREAU
SRINAGAR, MAR 28
The families of Kupwara porters who went missing in 2015 Tuesday alleged that they were receiving life threats from three persons who are “army sources” for pursuing the disappearance case of the trio.
Ghulam Jeelani Khatana (42) and Mir Hussain Khatana (45) son of Muhammad Ismail, residents of Gojar Patti (Satbonya) in Dardepora-and Ali Muhammad Sheikh (40) of Dolipora Trehgam are missing since they were allegedly taken away by Manzoor Ahmad Khowaja (TA personnel) of Dardepora on Nov 17, 2015.
, the families while talking to media persons at Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) office here alleged, “The three persons namely Khurshid Ahmad Khatana, Saraidin Khatana and Farooq Ahmad Mir (Army sources) were threatening us for pursuing the disappearance case of our beloved ones. The three persons were threatening us since last year while the police have failed to take any action against them as they are also hand-in-glove with them.”
Javaid Ahmad Gorsee, son-in-law of Ghulam Jeelani Khatan, one among the disappeared persons claimed that after receiving life threats they approached to the concerned police station but unfortunately the police did not file any FIR.
“We provided the intimidators’ phone number to the police officials but unfortunately they refused to help us by saying that they can’t trace the number and asked us to go to Chandigarh to seek details of this number,” he added.
He said that the elder son of Ghulam Jeelani, Ishfaq Ahmad Khatana who was studying in class 8 is now earning livelihood for his family. “Ishfaq who stopped pursuing education to earn livelihood for his family is also being threatened now,” he told reporters.
Meanwhile, the families informed that the Army is saying the three missing persons are working for them thereby have been sent on mission to Pakistan. “We believe that our beloved ones are not working for army and the Army along with their three sources is misleading us by making such statements as the disappeared persons were not working with Army as they were running their own business,” he added.
“The CEO of Army Battalion 160 TA has also informed us that they have talked to our beloved ones over phone. “We received the cheques only for five months and later no compensation was given by the Army to the families,” he said.
Giving details about the pursuance of the disappearance case, the families said, “The FIR was registered against the incident but the police didn’t produced the challan before the court. The one accused was arrested later in this regard but unfortunately he was bailed out by the court. Since then, no action was taken in this regard.”
disappearance of these persons of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The then General Officer in Command (GOC) 15 corps, LT Gen Satish Kumar Dua, had said that the army has ordered an inquiry into the missing case of three men and had said that the army is committed to zero tolerance on human rights violation.
