Judicial probe into Kishtwar violence begins

A judicial probe ordered into the August 9 communal clashes in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar town is set to begin Saturday, a source said.

Justice (retired) RC Gandhi "will operate from the tourist reception centre in Kishtwar town from today (Saturday)", a source told IANS.

Justice Gandhi will visit the places where violence occurred and also ascertain whether there were any administrative lapses in the handling of the violence in Kishtwar that left three dead and properties worth crores of rupees gutted.

The probe was ordered by the state government Aug 23, and the retired judge is expected to submit his report in a month.

While police have arrested over 50 people during investigations into the arson and violence in Kishtwar Aug 9, nobody has so far been arrested for the three deaths that occurred in the communal clashes.

Jammu and Kashmir's former minister of state for home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, also the sitting MLA from Kishtwar, resigned as minister after the violence.

The state government called in the army to restore order in Kishtwar.

The rioting mobs had looted over 40 guns from a shop in the town Aug 9, and the police has so far recovered two dozen stolen weapons.