Jammu & Kashmir

Kunan: Dead-body of ‘disappeared’ youth handed over to family

Mourners carrying the death body of Abdul Rashid Dar from Kupwara district hospital to his native village Kunan.

Kupwara: Dead body of Abdul Rashid Dar, 27, who was picked up by the army more than two and half months ago for ‘questioning’  has been handed over to the family.

Eyewitnesses told Free Press Kashmir that people carried the corpse on stretcher from Hanjipora to Kunan. Hundreds of people followed the men carrying the body raising slogans seeking an ‘investigation’ into the death.

Sarpanch Kunan, Khurshid Ahmed, told Free Press Kashmir that earlier today they were informed that the body will be handed over to the family. Hundreds of people from the village and adjoining areas joined the mourning.

The body was handed over by police from Kupwara district hospital. From Hanjipora to Kunan, the body was carried on a stretcher and hundreds joined the mourners.

Earlier on December 15, 2022, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Yougal Manhas stated that Dar was picked up for questioning on December 15 in connection with a militancy case. Police said that he ‘managed to give a slip to forces’.

“On his revelation about the hideout, he gave a slip to the forces. We are investigating in which circumstances he managed to flee. We are in touch with his family also,” he had said.

Notably, Rashid’s family had protested in Srinagar’s press enclave several times, alleging that their kin had ‘disappeared’ after he was taken in custody by the army.

Rashid’s sister, who was among the protesting family members at Press Enclave, told reporters that her brother, Abdul Rashid, was picked by the army on December 15.

The army told the family that Rashid is needed for questioning and will be released soon, she said.

“The army took him away in their vehicle and we were told to report in the camp the next day,” Rashid’s sister told reporters.

She said the next day, on December 16, when they went to the Trehgam camp; they were made to wait till 4:00 pm as they were initially told by the army that Rashid is being questioned.

“Later, we were told that he escaped from custody,” she said.

At a presser, a police officer had said that the man was allegedly picked up by the army for questioning in connection with militancy related investigation. However the officer had said that he fled from custody.

As per the police spokeperson, “in continuation to missing of Abdul Rashid Dar of Kunan area of Kupwara on December 16,2022 today early in the morning a dead (body was) recovered from Zurhama -PK Galli forests.”

“The body was brought to SDH Kupwara where it was identified by the relatives of (the) missing person. After completing all medico-legal formalities including post mortem by a team of doctors, he said, the body was handed over to the family members for burial.“Cognisance of the matter has been taken for further investigations,” he said, adding, “Further details will be shared.”

 

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