Conflict

‘He left home for exams, was a student’, says family of ‘militant’ killed in Lawaypora, demand dead-body

[FPK Photo/Mukhtar Zahoor]

Srinagar: Barely an hour after Jammu and Kashmir police along with CRPF and Army claimed to have killed three militants in an operation in Lawaypora area of Srinagar, family members of one of the three ‘militants’ claimed that their kin is not a militant and was killed in a “fake encounter.”

Shouting slogans, the family members and relatives of the slain militant identified as Aijaz Ahmed Ganie of Putrigam area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, have assembled outside Police Control Room in Srinagar demanding the return of their kin’s dead body.

They said that Aijaz left home a day ago to appear in examinations at university.

“He left for university and was caught by the forces personnel and now after killing him they are branding him as militant,” said a relative.

“Is this JK administration doing for Kashmiris, why was our kin killed and for what reason?” asked another protesting family member.

“The picture of the dead body of Aijaz on social media has shocked all of us,” said one of the family members protesting outside PCR.

Accusing that their kin was killed in a “fake encounter”, the family is now demanding the return of Aijaz’s dead body from the police’s possession.

The family members of the second killed ‘militant’, Athar Mushtaq have also appeared outside PCR Srinagar calling it a “fake encounter”.

“Why did you kill our kin, he was innocent, what was his fault,” said a family member of Athar protesting along with scores of relatives outside PCR.

A screengrab of the video of Athar’s sister while talking to reporters outside PCR in Srinagar

Athar’s sister said that he was scheduled to appear in University exams yesterday and at 3:01 pm, he called them saying he won’t be able to come home today as his examinations may end late.

“We thought he will come in the morning but little did we know that we have to receive the news of his death in the morning,” Athar’s sister said.

“He was at home for two months as he was not keeping well, I don’t know why is police linking him with militants,” she said.

Earlier, the police had said, that “three unidentified militants have been killed while search operation is on. The house where militants were hiding suffered partial damage.”

The operation began after a joint team of Police, army’s 02 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Hokarsar.

The General officer Commanding (GoC) Kilo Force H S Sahi said that three militants killed in an encounter at Lawaypora on Srinagar outskirts were planning a big strike on the highway to gain publicity.

Relative of one of the slain Athar Mushtaq outside PCR Srinagar. [FPK Photo/Mukhtar Zahoor]

Addressing a joint press conference at 2 RR headquarters at Zainakote, HMT, Srinagar, GoC Kilo Force said that in the past one week, five militants including a Pakistani national were killed in two separate gunfights in north Kashmir.

“Since past many days, intelligence inputs were pouring in continuously about the movement of militants on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway. Yesterday, we developed leads and came to know that militants are hiding in a house right opposite to Noora hospital at Lawaypora in HMT area,” Sahi said.

“The militants fired indiscriminately at security forces and lobbed grenades as well. The operation was put on a halt due to dark but cordon layers were tightened. With the first light the firefight again resumed and militant used heavy ammunition against security forces,” the GoC said, adding that in the ensuing gunfight three militants were killed.

However, the family of one of the killed militants has rubbished the claim of the forces.

 

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