Rights body asks J&K govt to pay ₹10L to human shield
The State Human Right Commission (SHRC) on Monday asked the government to pay a compensation of ₹10 lakh to Farooq Ahmad Dar, a weaver from Kashmir, who was used as a human shield by an army major on polling day April 9.
"The state government should provide ₹10 lakh compensation to the victim," the SHRC said.The commission has given the government six weeks to pay the money. It also asked the chief sec- retary of the state to file a ‘compliance report in the matter' within the same time.
Speaking to HT, Dar said, “I have no idea about the matter or compensation. I will only say I was reborn that day as I thought I was already dead.''
The case was heard by SHRC chairman justice Bilal Nazki, who disposed of the case after the judgment.
Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, chairman of the International Forum for Justice, had filed a plea with the SHRC. He sought to know the merit of the army’s decision to honour Major Nitin Leetul Gogoi, who is facing a court of inquiry and police probe.
Major Gogoi tied the 26-yearold Dar to an army jeep and paraded him for five hours through 17 villages during the violence-marred bypoll to the Srinagar parliamentary constituency on April 9.
Major Gogoi told media later that turning the man – who was most likely the “ringleader”– into a human shield afforded security personnel an opportunity to enter the polling station and rescue staffers trapped inside.