SRINAGAR - The authorities in Indian-held Kashmir have launched more than 400 cases of alleged human rights abuses against Indian security forces personnel. The state’s minister for internal security released the figures in the Occupied Kashmir legislative assembly. Officials want to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, which prevents prosecution of security staff, reported BBC on Tuesday.
Thousands of people have been killed in the region since 1989, though violence has dropped off recently.
India’s defence ministry has resisted moves to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). According to the state government, 444 soldiers, police and security officials have been charged in the past three years. Nearly 300 cases have been seen in local courts, the government said in a written response to the assembly.
Human rights activists say the Indian authorities are forcing the state government to move slowly on these cases.
Kashmiri officials have been pleading with Delhi to scrap the AFSPA so they can proceed with prosecuting security officials against whom cases are pending. But army officials say it is needed to prevent Mujahideen groups from focusing their resources on Held Kashmir.