Omar Abdullah A family in Ganderbal, his constituency, on Thursday sought a “transparent and time-bound investigation” and lodged a complaint with the police seeking an FIR and investigation after they claimed that a person killed in an alleged encounter with the Army on March 31 had no links to terrorism.
Omar said the family’s claims should not be dismissed. “At a minimum, this encounter requires a transparent and time-bound investigation and the facts being made public. Any attempt to obfuscate or delay the announcement of the investigation will only undermine credibility and is in no one’s interest,” he wrote on X.
The Army on Wednesday morning said it neutralized a terrorist in a joint operation with J&K police in Ganderbal Alahama area the night before. However, Ajaz Ahmed Mughal, brother of the deceased Rashid Ahmed Mughal (28), claimed that he was not involved in terrorist activities.
Ajaz said his brother left home on the morning of March 31 and did not return. Around 10 am on April 1, the SHO of Lal police station informed him that his brother had met with an accident and took him to the Srinagar police control room and asked him to identify the body.
Ajaz claimed that police informed him that the body belonged to a foreign terrorist. “I told them he was my brother,” he said, adding that the bullet damaged his brother’s skull.
Ajaz said that after recognizing his brother, police asked him to accompany him to Kupwara in north Kashmir, where he was buried in a cemetery. Since 2019, the bodies of local terrorists killed in clashes will not be handed over to their families but buried in Kupwara and Uri to prevent mass gatherings.
Ajaz said everyone in Chountwaliewar village and Ganderbal district knew his brother and could confirm that he was not involved in terrorism but helped people get Aadhaar and domicile certificates. “He was getting ready to enlist in the army,” Ajaz said.
Police have yet to make any statement regarding the operation. Defense professionals in Srinagar declined to comment on the accusations made by the families of the deceased, saying police would investigate the background of those killed and details would be released within days.
Srinagar-Ganderbal MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi termed the allegations serious and said “the silence of J&K police is unacceptable”.
Former Prime Minister Mehbooba Mufti also claimed that it was a fake encounter. “He is an orphan and is running an NGO,” she said while speaking to media persons.