Date:06/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/06/stories/2007020603631100.htm

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Probe assured into all "cases of missing"

Shujaat Bukhari

JAMMU: The Additional Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Javed Iqbal Mattoo, on Monday assured protesters that all the cases of missing people would be reopened and a fair investigation conducted. In Srinagar, hundreds of people marched through the city demanding the whereabouts of their missing kin.

"There will be no let-up in our efforts to identify the guilty and punish them under the law of the land," he told the protesters in Kokernag.

"The police are collecting details about the missing persons in this district and thorough enquiries will be carried out in all such cases."

Surcharged atmosphere

As the atmosphere was surcharged, a Central Reserve Police Force constable was arrested after he fired some rounds of bullets while on guard at the protest rally. "It was a panic reaction," said an official.

Encouraged by the findings of the Special Investigation Team probing the killing of carpenter Abdul Rehman Padder, the relatives of several persons who disappeared over the past few years took out a protest in Srinagar on Monday.

Joined by hundreds of sympathisers, the protesters marched from downtown Srinagar to the Divisional Commissioner's office. They demanded an investigation into the cases of missing persons as in the case of Padder, whose body was exhumed a few days ago.

The protest began as residents of Gojwara area staged a dharna demanding an investigation into the case of one Mohammad Yaseen Bhat, missing since 2000.

The protesters were soon joined by people from the adjoining localities and slogans such as "We want justice ... We want [to know] the whereabouts of our missing kin" rent the air.

Chairperson of the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons Parveena Ahangar said the Government should set up a judicial commission to look into all the cases. "Our stand is vindicated," she told The Hindu adding that it was the responsibility of the Government to tell "us where our dear ones are."

Her son disappeared in Army custody in August 1990.