Srinagar: The death of 30-year-old Zubair Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Ali Kadal in Srinagar, in New Delhi has triggered a wave of grief and anger in Kashmir, with politicians, civil society and the family demanding a time-bound, impartial probe into what they allege was a case of torture.
Zubair, who had travelled to Delhi for work related to his handicrafts business, was declared dead on May 29 at Safdarjung Hospital. His family claims he was picked up and beaten by the Delhi Police in Lajpat Nagar, and was denied medical care.
They allege that Zubair, who was the only breadwinner of his family, had messaged his sister shortly before his death.
The family’s version has been strongly backed by the People’s Democratic Party’s Iltija Mufti, who visited the bereaved household in Ali Kadal on Thursday.
“Let me bite the bullet and state the unpleasant truth,” she wrote on social media platform X. “His family claims he was picked up by Delhi Police, questioned and thrashed with rods. When will this pattern of snuffing out the lives of innocent Kashmiris purely on suspicion end?”
Iltija Mufti also accused a Delhi hospital of denying timely treatment to Zubair.
“He was a 30-year-old man trying to earn a living. The family says police questioned him about his identity and assaulted him. He died soon after,” she told the press in Srinagar, flanked by Zubair’s grieving siblings.
National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar and Congress media chief Pawan Khera also raised serious concerns about the incident and sought answers from the Delhi Police. “In the capital city, a young Kashmiri dies under mysterious circumstances, and not a word of it gets discussed in mainstream media?” asked Khera. “@DelhiPolice needs to respond.”
Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari called for a fair and transparent investigation and urged the Jammu and Kashmir administration to formally take up the case with Delhi authorities. “The concerns and allegations raised by the family must be taken seriously,” he said, calling Zubair’s death “a heartbreaking tragedy.”
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, addressing the Friday congregation at Jama Masjid Srinagar, described Zubair’s death as “deeply disturbing and unacceptable” and alleged that it was “a custodial-like death at the hands of Delhi Police.” He warned that such incidents raise serious concerns about the safety of Kashmiris working or studying in other parts of India. “Being Kashmiri should not be a crime,” the Mirwaiz said, later visiting the family to offer personal condolences.
The Delhi Police, however, have denied all allegations of arrest or custodial torture. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East Delhi) Hemant Tiwari told The Print that Zubair had never been in police custody. “There was no arrest, no questioning, and no police case against him,” he said.
Police claim they received a PCR call from a doctor in Lajpat Nagar on May 29 about a man showing symptoms of seizures outside her residence. A police control room team reportedly picked up Zubair and admitted him to Safdarjung Hospital. Doctors at the hospital noted multiple injection marks and suspected a possible drug overdose.
According to the police, Zubair had a history of drug use. He allegedly purchased four strips of the opioid Tapentadol for Rs 2,000 the day before his death and had reportedly spent Rs 29,000 on the same drug since December last year. Police say he checked into a hotel instead of returning to his employer’s accommodation, and CCTV footage confirms his stay at the hotel during the time he claimed to be with the police.
The cause of death, as per preliminary medical investigation, has been cited as encephalopathy due to drug abuse and altered sensorium.
Despite the police version, Zubair’s family and several political figures remain unconvinced. The family insists that he had no history of drug addiction and believes he was targeted because of his Kashmiri identity.
“He was the sole support for our family. How can this just be swept under the carpet?” a family member asked in tears.
Civil rights activists in Kashmir say the case underscores the urgent need for mechanisms to ensure the safety and dignity of Kashmiris living outside the region.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged civil society and rights groups across India to speak up: “The silence and inaction only embolden those targeting Kashmiris,” he said.
