Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday called for a transparent probe into allegations of torture of civilians by the Army in Kishtwar district, and demanded a court martial of the personnel involved if there is evidence against them. "I hope the Army will not show any laxity and conduct an investigation in a transparent manner," the chief minister told reporters after a function here. The Army said in a statement earlier that it has launched a probe into alleged ill-treatment of civilians during anti-terror operations in Kishtwar.

Allegations have been levelled against some soldiers for beating up five civilians, leaving them injured, during anti-terror operations in the Mughal Maidan area on November 20. The chief minister said the soldiers involved in the incident should be court-martialled if there is evidence against them.

Those responsible for the act should immediately be court-martialled if there is evidence against them and they should be punished," Abdullah said. The Army has said that based on specific intelligence on the movement of a group of terrorists in the Kishtwar sector, an operation was launched by the Rashtriya Rifles on November 20.

The Army's White Knight Corps said that an investigation was launched to ascertain the facts after the allegations were levelled. Necessary follow up action will be ensured," it said in the statement. 

/Agencies/