The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged India to appoint an independent commission to promptly and transparently investigate the killing of protesters by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) troops in Ramban area of Indian-held Kashmir (IHK).

According to media reports, the HRW said the Indian government should act to end the BSF’s long standing impunity for the large number of killings over the past many years, adding the death of four protesters and wounding of nearly a dozen more people highlighted the urgency for an independent enquiry.

HRW South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly said the loss of lives in Ramban mosque called for a prompt investigation by an independent commission.

“Any findings of illegal use of force by BSF troops should result in prosecutions. Too often the BSF’s version of events is simply accepted, allowing many unaccountable killings,” she added.

The HRW said senior Indian officials responded appropriately to the incident but there was a need to follow up with the required action.

Indian Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde promised an investigation and said “any use of excessive force or irresponsible action will be dealt with strictly”, it added.

However, HRW also pointed out that previous investigations of BSF abuses had often been delayed and prosecutions stalled.

The statement said the HRW had previously documented serious human rights violations by the BSF troops but the Indian government had failed to prosecute the troops responsible.

Enquiries by Indian National Human Rights Commission received a standard response that the fatalities occurred when troops had to fire in self-defence, it deplored.