Amnesty urges restrain in excessive use of force in J&K

"Amnesty International India calls on authorities in Jammu and Kashmir to protect the right to life in accordance with the Constitution of India and international law…law enforcement officials must always apply non-violent means before resorting to the use of force, including when policing public demonstrations. They must use force with restraint, and only when it is absolutely necessary and proportional to the threat to public safety," it said in a statement on Saturday. The watchdog appealed to the police agencies to use firearms only as a last resort. Amnesty International also called for a full, impartial and effective investigation into any possible excessive use of force by security forces in J&K. "All suspects, including those with command responsibility, must be prosecuted in a competent, independent and impartial civilian court," it urged.