Forced into the Darkness

Hayat Ashraf Dar, a student of economics was blinded by Indian security forces by pellet shots

A quite Sunday afternoon in July 2013 turned fatal for twenty-one-year old Hayat Ashraf Dar, a BA economics student at Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, who was visiting his grandparents in Kashmir during summer break. That day, Hayat was on his way home after attending a function in uptown Srinagar, when the bus he was travelling in came to an abrupt halt near his house. He was told that there are protests going on in Nowhatta area and it is not safe to go there. Hayat de-boarded the bus and decided to walk the remaining distance.

We were forced to suck genitals

On a cold winter night in November, in 2005, a loud knock on the main door of my house, in Kashmir’s Alesteng, woke me from my sleep. In utmost exasperation, my family rushed to the gate to check on what then seemed to be a fervent knock from an agonized traveler. They guessed it wrong. Instead, gun brandishing men from Delhi police, Central Reserve Police Force and Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police forced their entry into my house. 

Afzal Guru’s story – in his own words

Guru wrote in a letter in 2004 To His Lawyer Sushil Kumar, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court:

Muhammad Afzal Guroo-R.I.P

In the Parliament attack case I was entrapped by Special Task Force of Kashmir. Here in Delhi the designated court sentenced me to death on the basis of special police version which works in nexus with STF, and also came under the influence of mass media in which I was made to accept the crime under duress and threat by special police ACP. Rajbir Singh. That threat even get confirmed to designated court by T.V. interviewer (Shams Tahir Aaj-Tak).

When I was arrested in Srinagar bus stand I was taken to STF Headquarter from here the special police along with STF brought me to Delhi. In Srinagar at Parompora Police Station everything of my belongings was seized and then they beated me and threatened me of dire consequences regarding my wife and family if I reveal or disclose the reality before anybody. Even my younger brother Hilal Ahmad Guru he was taken into police custody without any warrant etc. and was kept there for 2-3 months. This was first told to me by ACP Rajbir Singh. Special police told me that if I will speak according to their wishes they will not harm my family members and also gave me false assurance that they will make my case weak so that after sometime I will get released.