Fayaz: A Victim of Torture

Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of Koligam, Lolab Kupwara, told human rights activists that he was arrested during a raid in November 1992 at about 6:00 A.M. According to his account, he was taken to a nearby camp where informants pointed him out as an alleged militant. He was then taken to an interrogation center where he was severely beaten, and then plunged into cold water and given electric shocks. As he was being tortured, the security forces demanded that he confess to being a militant. He was then shifted to another camp where his feet were burned on an iron stove, and he was given electric shocks to his hips. One soldier beat him with iron chains. He was stripped and hung upside down, and then made to lie outside in the snow. For the next twenty-four hours the beatings and interrogation continued.

Fayaz was kept at the Koligam Lolab BSF camp, where the 161st battalion of the BSF was stationed. After a month, he was later shifted to Kupwara where he was kept for five days at another interrogation center. There, his legs were burned with a hot iron and with scalding water.

Fayaz was then shifted to Drugmulla BSF Camp and kept there for six days and interrogated regularly. He was then shifted to the Badami Bagh cantonment area of Srinagar. He was ordered to confess everything and threatened that if he did not, he would be thrown into the boiling water tank. Fayaz said the security forces also cut him in the leg and poured petrol on him and lit it, giving him serious burns. They again ordered him to confess to being a militant. Sometime after, Fayaz was taken to the army camp hospital, where he was kept for a month.

Fayaz was brought to the Police Control Room on May 6, 1993 and then taken to the Soura Medical Institute where he was admitted in Trauma Ward No. 2 bed No. 12 bearing MRD. No. 105894. He was discharged on September 19, 1993.

Fayaz Ahmad’s mother stated that after her son was arrested, she tried to approach the officer in charge, but he ordered her to leave and threatened to rape her if she did not.

Fayaz stated that during his detention at the 161st BSF camp at Koligam, Kupwara, one other detainee, Ghulam Hassan of Khurhama, was beaten to death.