The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday disbanded the controversial anti-militancy Special Operations Group, which faced allegations of human rights violations, saying action would be taken against those responsible for the violations.

"The group stands disbanded," Chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed said during the question hour in the state assembly and added he was fulfilling an election pledge to check the unbridled authority of SOG.

While the personnel would be absorbed into the regular police force, Sayeed said those SOG personnel who had committed acts of omission would face stern action.

As many as 49 complaints were received against 53 SOG officials for their involvement in different cases, the Minister of state for Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri said in reply to the question by Saifullah of National Conference party.

Out of them, 25 officials, who were found guilty during investigation, were dismissed from service while challans have been produced in courts against 25 other officials, he said.

The cases against the remaining three officials are still under investigation, the minister said.

While observing that the association of the local police is vital in combating militancy, Sayeed, said the government would seek to ensure that innocent people were not put to harm during anti-militancy operations.

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar adds:

Hizbul Mujaheedin supreme commander Syed Salah-ud-Din said, "The merger of the SOG with the state police has made the entire police force in Kashmir suspicious in our eyes."

In an interview with a local news agency, he also termed the present low-key militant attacks in Kashmir 'as part of their well thought out strategy'.

Salah-ud-Din said, "The main thing is that the Indian government should first accept Kashmir as a disputed territory and the issue should then be resolved through tri-partite talks."