Rajnath Singh addresses Army amid J&K civilian death row
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. While interacting with Indian Army troops, he urged soldiers to avoid making mistakes that could harm Indian citizens. His statement comes amid an ongoing probe into the alleged death of three civilians in custody during an investigation related to last week's Poonch ambush attack. The Army has expressed its commitment to protecting innocent civilians, and a brigade commander has been asked to join the investigation.
Why does this story matter?
On December 21, terrorists attacked an Army convoy in Poonch and at least four Rashtriya Rifles personnel were killed, Hindustan Times reported. A day later, three men—Mohammad Showkat (22), Safeer Hussain (45), and Shabir Ahmad (32)—from Topa Peer village were detained for questioning and were found dead thereafter. Their families claim they were killed in custody, leading the Army to initiate an investigation. The Jammu and Kashmir Police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder.
Singh stresses on winning hearts of civilians
Addressing the troops, Singh stressed the importance of winning over the hearts of the people alongside ensuring national security. He stated, "We have to win battles, eliminate terrorists, but a bigger objective is to win the hearts of the people. We will win wars, but we need to win hearts too." During his J&K visit, Singh was expected to meet with local residents, and families of the deceased civilians, and chair a high-level security meeting at Raj Bhavan in Jammu.
Government support for increased survillience
Singh also emphasized the vital role of security and intelligence agencies in preventing attacks on soldiers and promised full government support. Additionally, he asked the soldier to ramp up their vigilance. "Whatever support is needed to step up surveillance will be provided by the government. The doors to our treasury are fully open," he said. Furthermore, he remarked that every soldier is considered a family member by every Indian, and their welfare and security are top priorities for the government.
Detained civilians recall horrors of torture in custody
The Army allegedly detained nine people, including the three deceased, as part of its probe into the terror attack. The civilians recovering in a hospital recently opened up about the alleged torture they endured, saying that they were beaten throughout the day and salt/chili powder was sprinkled on their wounds. Notably, in his address, Singh asserted, "There should be no mistake that hurts an Indian." He told the soldiers that incidents like Poonch terror attack should not be taken lightly.
