Rizwan Pandit, a school principal who died in police custody in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on March 18, was tortured, said his brother. He was detained in connection with a militancy related case by J&K Police. His father, Assadullah Pandit, a retired central government official, is also a member of Jama’at-e-Islami, which was recently banned by the Home Ministry.
After his death, Social Media was full of condemnation, Protest and anger. People from all corners of the Kashmir valley strongly condemned the killing of a school teacher in police custody. Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is also a religious leader, tweeted on the killing of Rizwan Pandit.
The brutal custodial killing of young Rizwan Ahmed of Awantipora brought distraught in the Valley. The killing once again exposed the helplessness, vulnerability and insecurity to the lives of Kashmiri’s as impunity of the authorities keeps rising.
PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti while reacting over the custodial death of the Awantipora youth said that GoI’s repressive approach has left young educated men vulnerable who are forced to take up arms. Reacting to the incident, Omar Abdullah demanded exemplary punishment to those responsible for the death of Pandith.
The Joint Resistance Leadership, a group of separatists Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, have called for a strike in Kashmir to protest against Rizwan Pandit’s death. All shops and commercial establishments in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk remains closed due to the bandh. Mobile internet services were snapped in southern Kashmir. Roadside protests were witnessed with political parties like the National Conference taking to the streets, other parties also strongly condemned Rizwans’s Killing in police custody.
Hardly two days after Pandith’s death, his friend Shahid Manzoor joined the militancy. In an audio message that surfaced on social media, he is heard pledging “jihad to end oppression” of the security forces.
Atif died during an encounter at Hajin village in Bandipora after being allegedly taken a hostage and used as a human shield by two Pakistani militants, who too were killed. The minor boy Atif was killed by the militants inside the house during an encounter between security forces and militants.
Life in Kashmir was normal during the Hajin Incident. Hajin observed a shutdown, that too on the death of two Pakistani militants. JRL calls shutdown on against JKLF ban but no bandh call against the killing of a minor by militants.
The reaction of people was surprising with the killing of a minor. One of the Pakistani militant, Ali Bhai, was threatening family members of Atif continuously in connection with his sister. Ali Bhai, want to marry the sister of Atif and had roughed up several members after learning the girl had been sent away. Apparently, the Pakistani militants took Atif and his uncle hostage in retaliation. Uncle of Atif managed to escape from the house however But LeT’s Ali Bhai killed Atif before two militants were killed by the security forces, Aatif’s charred body was found besides those of the two non-local LeT militants.
Former CM Omar Abdullah tweeted: “I know we hold our security forces to a higher standard & that’s not the comparison I’m making. I’m making the limited point — selective outrage is cowardly & hypocritical.
“I wish there was as much outrage in Kashmir against militants when they take a young boy hostage as there is when security forces are accused of human rights violations.”
Mehbooba Mufti while reacting on the killing of a minor Atif by militants tweeted; “Innocent civilians who are struggling to make ends meet have become casualties in the war between militants & armed forces.”
Atif’s death has saddened many but only a few have condemned the militants for taking him hostage. On his funeral, it was surprising to hear pro-azadi and anti-India slogans but no slogans against the militant outfit that made Atif hostage and used him as a human shield in order to get escaped from the encounter site.
Atif’s family said the two Pakistani militants routinely took shelter in their home.
One of the Militant had an eye on an 18-year-old girl (Atif’s Sister) due to the fear family sent the girl to Sopore. When Ali Bhai got to know about the girl he roughed up family members and pressured them to bring the girl back and took the boy hostage,”
The selective outcry on the killing of Minor boy shattered dreams of his family members. He was alone son of pesticide dealer Mohammad Shafi. Kashmir has witnessed such incidents in the past where the condemnation is decided on the basis of a gun and who killed whom, the one who is being killed by forces is a ‘Martyr’ while the person who is being killed by the militants is being labelled as ‘Agent’.
The writer is a socio-political activist, President of All JK Youth Society he can be reached at [email protected]
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