J&K: Three civilians picked by Army after Poonch ambush attack 'killed in custody'

Locals told ETV Bharat that the three civilians were picked for questioning by the Army in connection with the ambush attack case and were killed at the local Army camp by the soldiers as part of the revenge killings against the killing of five soldiers in the attack.

Jammu: Three civilians picked by the Army on Friday in connection with the recent ambush attack on the soldiers in Dera Ki Gali area of Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, have been found dead under mysterious circumstances with the families accusing the soldiers of custodial killings. The army on Friday detained several civilians after two army vehicles, on way to a cordon and search operation, were ambushed by militants at a blind curve in Dera Ki Gali area of Surankote Poonch on Thursday Dec 21 killing at least five soldiers and injuring two others.

In a video, the soldiers were seen bundling the civilians in a vehicle and taking away. Three of the detaineees have died under mysterious circumstances causing rage among the locals in the area. The deceased have been identified as 30-year-old Riaz Ahmed, son of Wazir Hussain, 26-year-old Shaukat Hussain, son of Nazir Hussain, and Mahfooz Ahmed, son of Mir Hussain-all residents of Topa Pir village.

Panch Mohammad Sidiq Khan of Topa Pir village, while talking to TV Bharat, said that the army has handed over the bodies of three youths who died in custody. Families of the deceased have alleged foul play accusing the soldiers of killing the civilians in cold blood. Purported videos of the army torturing the civilian trio also surfaced on the social media thereby putting the Army in the dock.

In the videos being widely shared on the Internet, the soldiers are seen assaulting the civilians with their hands and feet tied with ropes. The soldiers are also seen sprinkling chilly powder on the private parts of the civilians and shouting expletives at them. The survivors of the three civilians who died in custody say that "the Army arrested them and killed them by subjecting them to physical violence."

Panch Mohammad Sidiq Khan further said, "When the three youths were in custody, we called the police SP, former MLA Mohammad Akram and other leaders for help in this matter, but unfortunately no one helped us, They killed them in the camp itself”. He said that the village has been cordoned off by the army, which is not allowing anyone to reach here to express solidarity with the bereaved families.

“They are forcing us to bury the bodies immediately,” Khan said. Meanwhile, Internet services were shut down after the purported videos of the torture went viral. Army and local administration were tight-lipped over the alleged civilian killings when this report was filed. The story will be updated as and when the Army or the civil administration issues any statement in this regard.