SRINAGAR, June 21: Government forces battling freedom fighters in Kashmir, have allegedly killed 144 people in custody since the rebellion against Indian rule erupted in 1989, a provincial minister said on Saturday.

Abdul Rehman Veeri, the junior parliamentary affairs minister, said another 3,931 people were reported missing in 14 years of fighting.

“There have been 144 alleged custodial killings by security forces and local police in the state since the beginning of the trouble,” Veeri told the state legislature.

“Inquiries have been conducted in all such incidents and action taken wherever indicated,” Veeri said.

His remarks caused commotion in the house, with the main opposition National Conference — which was in power during much of the insurgency — walking out claiming that hundreds had been killed in custody.

“Tell us who ordered these killings, and what action the government has taken so far,” said National Conference lawmaker Saifullah Mir.

Veeri admitted there have been “some complaints of alleged custodial killings” since the government took power in November, but said “our healing touch policy is paying rich dividends.”

The minister said 1,243 people had died in Kashmir under the new government, including 672 militants and 167 security force personnel.

He said 404 civilians have died, of whom 346 were killed by rebels and the rest hit by crossfire.

Human rights groups here estimate around 8,000 people are missing in Kashmir, mostly after arrests by security forces, with many of them presumed dead.

Veeri said 10,940 civilians have been killed by rebels since the start of the insurgency, including 1,477 members of the minority Hindu community and 110 Sikhs.

“The rest were all Muslims,” Veeri said.

Rebels have killed 4,003 security force personnel since 1989, he said.—AFP