Exhume unmarked grave in Kashmir: Rights panel

The tate human rights commission directed the district magistrate of north Kashmir's Kupwara district to exhume a body buried in Kanipora (Kalaroos) village in July 2003 and examine whether it is that of Mohammad Yusuf Bhat, then aged 14 and a resident of Anderbugh Lolab village of the same district.

"The district magistrate concerned will order exhumation of the dead body from the particular grave which in this instant case is identifiable under the supervision of a magistrate and thereafter, a DNA test will be conducted," the rights panel said."In case the results received match with the parents or relatives of the subject then the state government/district administration shall sanction and pay ex-gratia to the next of kin," the panel said.

"Further the investigation of the missing report which stands already lodged in the police station Lalpora Kupwara be re-opened and taken to logical end so that the culprits are shown the doors of the court", the commission said in its landmark judgement.The father of the missing boy had filed an FIR with a local police station alleging that his son had been kidnapped when he had gone to attend a religious discourse along with two of his friends in July 2003.

"While two of my son's friends managed to escape from the illegal custody of their kidnappers, but my son Mohammad Yusuf Bhat was killed by the army", the father had alleged.