Indian army admits wrongdoing in killing three Kashmiris

We want the bodies of our family members."Ibrar, the youngest of the trio, worked as a labourer to save money for his education, his family told Al Jazeera.Human rights activists in Kashmir see the encounter as a gun battle in which civilians were dubbed "rebels" and killed by the army to claim monetary benefits and medals.In May 2010, large scale protests erupted in Kashmir after a police investigation revealed the army killed three civilians in a staged gun battle at Machil area near the Line of Control in the frontier Kupwara district.The three labourers were lured to Machil and killed there before being labelled "militants" by the army to claim a reward.Under AFSPA, a counterterrorism law with sweeping provisions, security forces enjoy "widespread impunity".It grants "powers" to members of the armed forces in "disturbed areas" like Kashmir to shoot-to-kill or arrest suspected people.Section 7 of the AFSPA provides virtual impunity for human rights violations by security forces personnel, as any civilian prosecution can only proceed after obtaining prior sanction from the central government.In the 30 years this law has been in force in Jammu and Kashmir, that authorisation has never been granted.Parvez Imroz, a noted human rights lawyer in the region, told Al Jazeera: "This incident cannot be taken in isolation."They were civilians, the statement doesn't mention it.