New Delhi, Mar 26: Expressing concern and "deep anguish" over the killing of 24 Kashmiri Pandits despite the presence of a police picket in the vicinity of the site of attack in the valley, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today directed the Centre and J&K government to furnish "factual reports" within one week.
The NHRC, which took suo motu cognizance of the reports of gunning down of 24 Pandits, has called upon the Union home Secretary and State Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to furnish the commission with "factual reports" regarding the killings, the commission said in an order.
The incident was testimony to the depravity of those who are engaged in terrorist acts, the NHRC said.
"This attack is doubly reprehensible, as it had taken place at a time when fresh efforts were underway to bring peace and reconsiliation to the state, objectives to which the terrorists are fundamentally opposed," the commission said.

Considering the reports that the victims were murdered despite the presence of police picket in the vicinity, NHRC has thus asked the Centre and the state government that they should, in their reports, also indicate inter-alia, such measures as may have been taken, or planned to be taken to enhance the security of the affected community and to ameliorate the suffering of the families of those who have been killed or traumatised.
NHRC have also received a petition by 'Kashmiri Samiti', a body of displaced Kashmiri people, seeking commission's intervention in respect of the tragic killings. Copy of the plea has been forwarded to both the Centre and the state government.


Bureau Report