EXTERNAL (for general distribution) AI Index: ASA 20/11/93
Distr: UA/SC
UA 60/93 Torture 5 March 1993
INDIA: Manzoor Ahmed Ganai, 20
Amnesty International is concerned at reports that Manzoor Ahmed Ganai was tortured
by the security forces in Kashmir and had to have the lower parts of both legs amputated.
Manzoor Ahmed Ganai, son of Abdul Aziz Ganai and resident of Wakoora district,
Gahderbal, Jammu and Kashmir, was reportedly arrested on 7 January 1993 along with
14 other persons by soldiers from the army 10 Bihar regiment during a search operation
in his village. He was reportedly tortured for ten days with electric shocks, beaten
with sticks and guns and was trampled on by soldiers. He was then alleged to have
been hung upside down for some 24 hours until he lost consciousness. Reports that
he was tortured have appeared in the local press.
Mr Ganai's relatives claim that he was released on 27 January 1993 and was in a coma.
They say he was immediately taken to the Bone and Joint Hospital, Barzulla, Srinagar,
where doctors had to amputate both of his lower legs. He is also reported to have
suffered from injuries to his arms. Amnesty International is not aware of any inquiry
into the torture allegations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since early 1990 there has been an increasingly violent campaign for independence
in Kashmir. Armed separatists have kidnapped dozens of officials, politicians, members
of the security forces and civilians, including women, killing some of their hostages.
They have killed officials, members of paramilitary forces and civilians, acts which
Amnesty International has repeatedly condemned. Many members of the Hindu community
have fled the Kashmir valley out of fear for their safety. Although some Kashmiri
militant groups have called for their return, others issued threats against them.
Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern to the Indian Government about
a pattern of wide ranging human rights violations committed by members of the security
forces in the course of their operations in Jammu and Kashmir. These include reports
of deliberate killings of unarmed civilians, brutal torture and rape by members of
the security forces, often in retaliation for attacks by Kashmiri militants on the
security forces. Reports of arbitrary arrests of suspected separatists are widespread,
and increasing numbers are reported to have "disappeared" and especially since
mid-1992, to have died in custody of the security forces.
It is difficult to verify the numerous reports of human rights violations from Kashmir
because Amnesty International has not been granted permission to visit the state.
However, there are an increasing number of detailed allegations from a variety of
sources indicating a pattern of gross human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir:
many of them have been submitted to the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in Srinagar
where they remain pending often because officials fail to respond to the allegations.
Medical reports on the treatment of released detainees are often consistent with
allegations that they were tortured during interrogation.