Omar, Mehbooba, MLA Mehraj, activist Talib demand impartial probe into Mohd Parvez’s death in Jammu police Op

Jammu: The death of 21-year-old Mohammad Parvez during a police operation in Jammu’s Sure Chak area has led to calls from political leaders for a thorough and impartial investigation.

Parvez, a tribal youth from Nikki Tawi, was shot during a police operation targeting drug peddling and later died at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu. His family has denied the police version of events and alleged a ‘fake encounter’.

Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X: “Mohammad Parvez a tribal youth was killed by the police at Surat Chak, Police Station in Satwari yesterday. He’s now been labelled as a drug dealer but even that may be the case we still live in a democratic country where justice is served through rule of law as opposed to khap panchayats or kangaroo courts. Sincerely hope the DG takes cognisance of this shocking incident by ordering a time bound impartial probe. We must not descend or condone a culture of extra judicial encounters because that’s precisely what alienates people.”

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said: “The killing of Mohd Parvez of Niki Tawi in Jammu is highly unfortunate & deeply regrettable. Use of force by the police has to be calibrated & cannot be indiscriminate. J\&K has paid a heavy price in the past because of incidents such as these. This incident should be investigated in a transparent & time bound manner. I send my condolences to the family of Mohd Parvez. May Allah grant him Jannat.”

Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Doda, Mehraj Malik, posted on X: “Fake Encounter by J&K Police. Even if he was a drug smuggler who gave police the right to kill? Are we now living under a system where police act as judge, jury, and executioner? Is this the ‘New India’ and new ‘law and order’ under the LG where bullets replace trials, and action is taken against poor only.” He also tagged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in his post.

Tribal activist Talib Hussain told The Wire that Parvez had no criminal record or FIRs against him.

He said, “Gujjars are being targeted in the name of drug and cattle smuggling. If he was guilty, they should have been booked. No law allows the police to kill him like this.”