Apex court seeks Centre's stand on beheading of soldiers

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Centre’s stand on a plea seeking direction to the Union government to raise “inhuman” killing and beheading of two Indian soldiers by Pakistani troops in the International Criminal Court.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and J S Khehar issued notice to the Ministry of External Affair and Union Home Ministry, seeking their replies within four weeks on a PIL filed by advocate Sarwa Mitter.

The court wanted the government’s response explaining the steps taken on diplomatic and international level over the killings.

The petition wanted direction to the Centre to sever all ties with the neighbouring state for violating the Line of Control (LoC).

The court decided to tag Mitter’s petition along with the one filed by the father of Kargil martyr Captain Saurabh Kalia, who was reportedly subjected to brutal torture in captivity by the Pakistan Army in 1999.

The court had earlier issued notice in the matter concerning Kalia whose mutilated body was returned after three weeks.

In his PIL, Mitter contended that there was “inaction” by the government as it did not take any step at the international and diplomatic platforms against the killings of two jawans on January 8. Lance naik Hemraj Singh was found decapitated with his corpse beheaded.

The petition also urged the apex court to direct the Centre to cut off all sports and cultural relations with Pakistan in view of the LoC violations.

The bench initially seemed disinclined to admit the PIL as the petitioner had not approached the government with the grievances.

Elephant killings

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre and a number of states, including Karnataka, on a PIL seeking direction for them to take immediate steps to prevent elephant deaths on railway tracks.

A bench of Justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra sought a response also from several state governments on a petition filed by Shakti Prasad Nayak, a journalist.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, urged the court to issue guidelines on the ground that trains accounted for 37 per cent elephant deaths. He said a institutional body for monitoring was required in the matter as there is nothing except general advisory issued by the Railways.