The family members of a youth, Imran Dar, recently martyred by Indian troops, have contested Indian police’s claim stating that he had no connection with insurgency and that he was a civilian.
Imran Dar, a resident of Batengoo area of Islamabad, was martyred by the troops during a cordon and search operation in Munad area of Kulgam district on Sunday.
Zahid Dar, the brother of slain Imran, told me-dia that Imran had a small argument with father few days before and he left home, however, he was with his friends in their own village and they used to see him on daily basis.
“On Sunday morning, my father received calls from local sarpanch followed by duty officer Khan-bal to reach police post and even warned of dire consequences if he failed to do so.
My father was at duty and requested him that once he will be back, he will visit them,” Zahid said.
“Later in the afternoon, my father again received a call to reach the police post as the caller told him that he has to identify a body. When he went there, he was shown a photo of a youth, however, he couldn’t identify him.
After that he called us and we too went there where we were asked to reach one officer to another and fi-nally his photo was shown and we identified him.”
Zahid further said that they requested police for body but at around 5 pm they were asked to go to PCR Srinagar.
“After reaching PCR, we were told that he has been buried at Handwara in the after-noon and we returned back,” he said, adding, “Nei-ther, have we seen Imran’s body nor we know where he has been buried.”
Zahid said that they have written to Deputy Commissioner Islamabad to investigate the matter and to order an impartial probe.
“We were assured by the deputy commissioner that within three days, matter will be investigated,” he said.
Zahid’s father Abdul Qayoom Dar, in a letter to DC Islamabad Piyush Singla, has stated that he received a call at 8 am on Sunday from the village’s sarpanch who told him that the police wanted him to present himself along with his son at the police post in Khanabal.
“After some time, I received one more call from the police post Khanabal itself and they too in-formed me [of] the same,” Dar stated in his letter.
“I took the matter lightly as I couldn’t think in my wildest dreams that anything terrible would happen.
At about 4:00 pm I reached the police post at Khanabal where they showed me the photograph of my son’s body.”—KMS
