Defence Minister Rajnath Singh - in Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday to firefight protests over the death of three civilians after they were detained by the Army for questioning - also met others allegedly injured while in military custody. Eight civilians were detained after an ambush on two Army vehicles in J&K's Poonch district, in which four soldiers were killed.
Earlier today Mr Singh met the families of those killed and called for caution when dealing with civilians. He said the Army could not "make any mistake" that hurts an Indian citizen.
"You are the country's protectors. But I want to request you that besides ensuring the country's security, you also have the responsibility to win the hearts of the people. There should be no mistake that hurts an Indian," he said.
READ | "Don't Make Mistakes That Could Hurt Countrymen": Rajnath Singh To Army
"We have to win battles... eliminate terrorists... but a bigger objective is to win the hearts of the people. We will win wars but we need to win hearts too. And I know you try your best..."
The Army has ordered an investigation into the deaths of the three civilians, who have been identified as Mohammad Safeer, Shabir Ahmad, and Showkat Hussain. They were among more than a dozen villagers detained from the Bafliaz area on Friday.
READ | Army Orders Probe Into Deaths Of 3 Civilians Detained For Questioning
However, after a video showing troops beating and torturing civilians went viral, their families and some political parties alleged custodial torture. Around a dozen villagers were shifted to hospitals. The authenticity of the video, however, has not been established.
Responsibility for the Poonch terror attack was claimed by the People's Anti-Fascist Front, which is linked to the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist outfit and was first seen in 2019, after the government scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir.
The Defence Minister's vist - his second in the last seven months - followed that of Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande, who was in the union territory on Monday to review the in-progress anti-terror op in Surankote and Rajouri district's Thanamandi forest belt.
Last month two officers and three soldiers were killed in Rajouri, where, in May, 10 Army personnel were killed in a gunbattle with terrorists.
The Pir Panjal region - Rajouri and Poonch districts - had been free from terrorism since 2003 but major attacks have resume since October 2021. In the last seven months alone, 20 soldiers, including officers and special forces commandos, have been killed.
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