SRINAGAR: Indian police in troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir are investigating reports that Kashmiri militants, killed and buried four hostages around May 11th of this year, Al Faran a small and relatively unknown group supported by Afghanistan’s war lords kidnapped six western tourists on July 4th of 1995. They were caught trekking through the mountains of scenic Srinagar, state’s summer capital and seat of Kashmiri movement for independence from India.
One hostage John Childs of Simsbury Conn escaped unharmed within a few days of kidnapping, Another Norwegian Hans Christian strop was beheaded and his body dumped on a rural road.
Donald Hutchings, 42 of Spokane, Washington is one of the four remaining hostages rumored to have been killed recently.
In the past Al Faran has proposed wrapping hostages with several Prominent jailed militants languishing in Indian prisons. However, Indian Government refused the offer. Then rebels demanded dollar money in exchange for hostage release. Again Government did not budge. On the other hand, Indian government has never been serious about resolving thecrisis.as it has used kidnapping as propaganda to smear militants and cover up its own brutalities in the state.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 22, 1996
