Poonch civilian killings: "There should an investigation into why this happened"

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Farooq Abdullah Tuesday expressed skepticism that replacing army officers would resolve the issue surrounding the civilian deaths in PoonchAbdullah emphasized the need for an investigation to determine why innocent people faced fatal torture after being detained by the Army for questioning following a terrorist ambush last ThursdayImmediately after the ambush that left five army soldiers dead the Indian Army detained several civilians for questioning among which three civilians were later found dead and five others are hospitalizedFarooq Abdullah condemned the ldquobrutalityrdquo stating that eight peaceful citizens were taken away three of whom succumbed to severe torture including the application of chili powder into their woundsHe highlighted the tragic aspect that one victims brother serves in the BSF and after 24 years of service feels that his brothers death is in exchange for his dedication to the nationAbdullah dismissed the notion that merely shuffling Army personnel including the transfer of the Northern Commander would resolve the problem He called for a thorough investigation into the reasons behind the incident questioning why such atrocities occurredAlso read If we do not find a solution through dialogue we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine Farooq AbdullahThe National Conference president urged authorities to look into the matter seriously and find a resolutionExpressing concern about the state of India Abdullah questioned the principles of Mahatma Gandhis India wondering how innocent people with no ties to terrorism could be killed in such a mannerHe lamented the heightened hatred between Hindus and Muslims emphasizing the urgent need to address the issue and restore peaceful coexistenceFarooq Abdullah also criticized the BJPs claims regarding the end of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir He pointed to the inconsistency in statements made by the Home Minister four years ago initially blaming Article 370 for terrorism and later retracting the statement Abdullah argued that terrorism has not abated instead it is on the rise with trained terrorists infiltrating the regionResponding to a question on Indias approach toward Pakistan Abdullah invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayees wisdom stating that while friends can change neighbors cannotHe emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence with neighbors for mutual prosperity Referring to Prime Minister Modis assertion that war is not an option and issues must be resolved through dialogue Abdullah questioned the absence of meaningful dialogueCiting the willingness of Pakistans incoming Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for talks Abdullah questioned why India is not engaging in dialogue He expressed concern that if the situation is not resolved through talks India might face a situation similar to the bombardment of Palestinians in Gaza Abdullah appealed for mercy expressing hope for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing tensions With inputs from agencies