Indian military orders probe into 3 missing civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Indian military Wednesday said it has ordered probe into the disappearance of three men in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The civilians went missing on Nov.17 from Kupwara district, about 120 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"An inquiry has been ordered into the missing of three villagers from Trehgam area in Kupwara," Lt General Satish Dua, the General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Indian military in Srinagar told media.

Families of the missing men blamed Indian military for subjecting the trio to enforced disappearance and said they were taken away by a trooper belonging to Territorial Army.

Following their missing reports in local police station, police arrested the accused trooper for questioning.

The phenomenon of enforced disappearances started in 1990 immediately after insurgency challenging New Delhi's rule broke out in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Rights groups say more than 8,000 people were subjected to enforced disappearances in the restive region so far. However, the local government has always contested the numbers.

Indian troops and police are consistently accused of grave human rights violations in the region.

A separatist movement and guerrilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit