The Divisional Commissioner himself conducted an enquiry on March 18 and found the number of rape victims rose from 23 10 40 and then 53 (subsequent press reports put the figure almost at 100. A medical examination of the victims was conducted. According to the report all women, barring four, were married and almost all of them had “abrasions on the is chest and abdomen.” In the case of unmarried girls the hymen was found tom. “As per history all of them were repeatedly raped and molested was the medical remarks.
The Kunan Poshpora incident aroused indignation in India and abroad particularly in the human rights community among the western nations. To neutralize the effects, the Government of India pressed into service the Press Council of India PCI). The PCL team went to Kunan Poshora on June 11.
“We have dwelt on the Kunan Poshora incident at considerable length not only because it is the most brutal assault on women in Kashmir alleged thus far, but because it has received a great deal Of international publicity in the media and through Amnesty International and Asia Watch” said the PCI team.
The team concluded: “The story was not true at all but propagated and retold on video for a “cause”. “Unless far better evidence is forthcoming, the Kunan Poshpora rape story stands totally unproven and completely untrue, a dirty trick to frame the army”, the PCI added.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1992
