Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met the families of the three civilians, who were allegedly tortured to death after they were picked up for interrogation in connection with last week’s terror attack on an army convoy in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district, and assured justice and an expeditious investigation into the matter.

Read here: There will be justice, Rajnath Singh tells kin of 3 dead civilians in Rajouri

In a statement, the defence ministry said that Singh, who arrived in Rajouri-Poonch sector for a day-long visit to review the security situation, also “met with the families of the deceased persons, residents of village Topa Peer of Bufliaz in Poonch district”.

The minister assured an “expeditious investigation into the incident culminating into deliverance of justice”, the statement added.

On December 21, four soldiers were killed and three were injured in an ambush at Dhatyar Morh in Poonch’s Surankote. Nine men were picked up for interrogation the next morning, and three of them – Safeer Hussain (44), Showkat Ali (22) and Shabir Hussain (32) – were found dead later in the day. The families of the deceased alleged they were tortured to death inside a 48 Rashtriya Rifles unit camp at Bafliaz.

The recovery of the bodies triggered protests, prompting the army to commit to an investigation and move out three officers, including a brigadier.

On Tuesday, a senior army officer apologised to the families of the three men and gave a cash compensation of ₹10 lakh each, according to a family member of one of the deceased. The civil administration also handed over cheques of ₹20 lakh each to the next of kin of the men on Saturday.

Ali’s kin said Singh held a closed-door meeting of the three families on Wednesday and assured a thorough probe within a month into the civilian killings.

“We were taken to Rajouri this morning where we met defence minister Rajnath Singh. There were a total of six members from the three families. The defence minister told us that all our demands will be expeditiously fulfilled by the administration. He also assured to deliver justice and promised to complete the investigation within a month,” Mohammad Sadeeq, Ali’s uncle and panch of Topa Peer village, said.

“On our demand for lands to the three families, the defence minister directed the administration to identify the land at Surankote or Potah since there is some sort of a fear (of army) among the families,” he added.

Sadeeq said that Singh also directed the civil administration to expedite the files and process to ensure a government job for one member of each family.

Ali’s family said they reiterated their demand for stringent action against officers and soldiers of 48 RR found guilty in the civilian killings.

“We need justice. Why were the three innocent men tortured to death? We want to live peacefully as Indian citizens but the army here is terrorising the people,” Sadeeq said.

“Those who lost their family members, will they ever be able to live in peace? Therefore, we want strict action against officers and soldiers involved in the torture,” he added.

Safeer Hussain’s elder brother Noor Ahmed, a BSF jawan who met Singh, said: “The defence minister expressed his grief and apologised for the deaths. He assured us that the guilty won’t be spared.”

Sadeeq alleged that five of the nine men who were picked up for interrogation and are undergoing treatment in Rajouri government medical college and hospital are yet to be provided compensation.

“The five injured have not received any compensation so far. They will never be able to work like normal human beings again. We demand that the salaries of the army men, who were behind this, be deducted for life and given to the victims,” he said.

According to people aware of the details, the ninth person was let off sometime after he was picked up for interrogation.

Meanwhile, one of the injured persons recalled how they were “thrashed with lathis and iron rods” at the RR camp.

“They herded us into the camp and started raining lathis and iron rods on us. It looked as if they wanted to kill us. There were several soldiers who were beating us mercilessly,” 36-year-old Mohammad Farooq, a labourer from Upper Pangai village in Thannamandi tehsil of Rajouri district, said.

“I have broken bones and limbs. My body is filled with injuries. Who will feed my family now and who will provide for the education of my only daughter,” he added.

Sadeeq earlier said the three men were “tortured with acid and chilli powder” and were also “electrocuted”. “They were given third degree torture at the army post,” he alleged.

Read here: ‘Must win hearts, not just battles’: Rajnath Singh to army

Jammu & Kashmir Police have registered an open first information report (FIR) under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code against “unknown” persons at Surankote police station.

On Monday, army chief General Manoj Pande “exhorted” commanders on the ground to conduct operations in the “most professional manner”.