Kashmiris protest, calling for justice after Indian forces shot down civilians naming them OGW but Kashmiris insist on their innocence.
The calls for justice were rising higher with emotions pouring out in intensified outrage after four were gunned down in Hyderpora in an alleged fake encounter.
The families allege that both businessmen were killed in cold blood by security forces. An anti-terrorism crusader says his son was among those killed, and that he was branded a terrorist. They claim the police refused to hand over their bodies citing law and order problems.
Political leaders including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti have raised questions over the encounter in Srinagar.
The police earlier had stated that two militants, a civilian, a businessman identified as Mohammad Altaf Bhat, and a dental surgeon, Mudasir Gul were killed during an operation in Hyderpora in Srinagar where the two militants were hiding in a shopping mall owned by the businessman Mohammad Altaf Bhat, who was into the cement and iron businesses. The police haven’t yet identified the two militants killed in the encounter and took possession of the three bodies.
Altaf Bhat is survived by his wife and two daughters and a son. She said, “My chachu (uncle) got a call around 10 am and he started crying, I was at home, then, I heard sounds of shouting and screaming…I ran to the spot, praying to Allah.” She said that her cousin who is a witness- told her that her father was picked up thrice – twice he was released. And the third time he was killed. What is the meaning of this? Other witnesses were also killed – what is this? she asks. When she asked the security forces why they killed her father and how they could think he was this, they laughed at her on her face.
She also speaks about the son of the second businessman killed that day. “My brother is in his class. He is very young. What do we tell him? He is very close to his father. I am attached to my father. Now, what will I do? How do I take care of my mother? She is not eating. She is crying. What do I do?”
How do we look ourselves in the eye as a civilisation ? Via @basiitzargar #KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/8fazYuqO9h
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) November 17, 2021
The police say that Altaf Bhat, who owned the complex, would be counted as a “harbourer of terrorists” as he did not inform the authorities about his tenants.
The family maintain that he was innocent and had no terror links and the Kashmiris challenged the police to do a probe and prove it. Altaf Bhat’s family members held a protest on Monday night, demanding the handover of his body for burial, and accused the police of killing an innocent civilian during an operation.
“You killed my innocent uncle Mohammad Altaf Bhat in cold-blooded murder In Hyderpora, you used him as a human shield and now saying he was ‘OGW’. Return us his body @JmuKmrPolice @SrinagarPolice @IGP,” tweeted Saima Bhat, the businessman’s niece.
The family members of civilian Mohammad Altaf Bhat described by police in Jammu and Kashmir as a “militant associate” who was killed during an encounter with two “militants” on Monday night, alleged that he was used as a “human shield” by the security forces.
A dental surgeon, Mudasir Gul, was killed in the firing in Kashmir taking the death toll to four after he was shifted to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, reports said. He is survived by his family and in a heartbreaking video, his toddler daughter is crying and weeping wife with cries of the people around her asking for justice, the atmosphere is electrifying.
‘My toddler daughter cries for her father, return his body’: Families of civilians, killed in Srinagar, protest, reports @umeerasif pic.twitter.com/0q8XcNVbQC
— The Kashmir Walla (@tkwmag) November 17, 2021
Abeer a 2nd Class student who's father was killed in Hyderpora#KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/OEMr9J89IO
— Osh_haaraan (@Raquib97) November 16, 2021
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded a speedy investigation into Bhat’s death.
“These allegations are grave and merit speedy investigation. Least@JmuKmrPolice could do is hand over the dead body to the family for a decent burial. Are even dead ones a threat to peace now?” the PDP tweeted.
Earlier, on Monday night, Vijay Kumar, the inspector general of police (IGP) Kashmir, had tweeted, “The house owner who was injured in the militant fire succumbed to injuries. Militants have been hiding on the top floor of his building. As per sources and digital evidence, he has been working as a militant associate.”
Today, on Wednesday, Mehbooba Mufti made attempts to console the family and participate in the protests but was blocked by the security troops.
On her return from Jammu PDP President @MehboobaMufti was on way to press colony to console with the family & participate in the protest, but police blocked the route & did not allow her to move towards protest site. Is demanding the dead body of civilians a crime now?
Carrying her 18 months old baby the distraught wife of Dr.Mudasir who was shot dead during an encounter in Hyderpora Sgr passionately pleading for a last glimpse of her husband. Family say the slain doctor was an innocent civilian but the police has refused to return the body pic.twitter.com/CIbYuAWZIw
— Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) November 17, 2021
On her return from Jammu PDP President @MehboobaMufti was on way to press colony to console with the family & participate in the protest, but police blocked the route & did not allow her to move towards protest site. Is demanding the dead body of civilians a crime now? https://t.co/GCq9L96XVQ
— J&K PDP (@jkpdp) November 17, 2021
This daughter will not get justice under the brutal rule of @narendramodi she is only demanding to return back the dead body of her father who was not a militant,he was only a shop keeper. He was a Kashmiri Muslim and that is a big crime theses days in India . #KashmirBleeds https://t.co/DJdz1yISAf
— Hamid Mir (@HamidMirPAK) November 16, 2021
This unfortunate father warned us before. #KashmirBleeds #Kashmirilivesmatter#Kashmirpic.twitter.com/SIX3GUxZeT
— Aqib Shah (@pzaqib) November 16, 2021
Relatives mourn death of Altaf Ahmad Bhat a Shop owner, who was killed in an encounter at Hyderpora in Srinagar.
Violence against Kashmiris should be stopped.#KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/VDm0VNyRyY— Abdul Hannan (@TSP_A_Hannan) November 16, 2021
Social Activist @ASKhalsa84 joins protest of Slain Altaf & Dr Mudasir Gull family demanding bodies for last rites.#KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/RsfQontw23
— Mohammed Hussain (@hussain_hrw) November 17, 2021
"With my teary eyes, I asked why have you kil!ed my father and the Indian soldiers started laughing"
– 13 y/o Daughter of Kashmiri civilian altaf bhat who was shot dead by indian paramilitary last night.
…….#KashmirBleeds #kashmir #KashmiriLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/itdYL81flz— Ahmed Khabeer احمد خبیر (@AhmedKhabeer_) November 16, 2021
Never break the silence, till your turn comes. You won't speak for them Today. Who ll cry for you tomorrow ??? #KashmirBleeds pic.twitter.com/I26hqc4sxg
— Shahrukh Ansari (@Shahrukh_Voice) November 16, 2021
Another Innocent Orphan Into Our Orphan family.
Kabeer a second class student whose father was Killed in hyderpora Encounter.#KashmirBleeds#Kashmiri #LoveInParadise pic.twitter.com/naxGl8djkK— Anis Qureshi (@_AnisQureshi) November 16, 2021
The above pictures and videos are enough to tell the sad sequence of events that took place from Sunday night until today where sentiments are running high especially as the security forces did not hand over the bodies to the families and burials occurred over 100 kilometers away from the family.
When Article 370 was revoked, the Government of India had stated it would bring peace in the region; however, not only are attacks increasing but civilians are no longer safe in the sanctity of their homes.
The slaying of four civilians by allegedly using them as human shields, not handing their bodies over to their families, labeling them as terrorists or OGW, and disabling their family from performing their ceremonial last rites depriving loved ones of closure is devoid of basic humanity. Aggressiveness and misusing powers are only intensifying and aggravating the situation in Kashmir instead of building peace. Accusing civilians of being OGW on flimsy grounds (over ground workers helping terrorists) without providing any proof of such claims, and killing them has touched many raw nerves, sparked outrage, and protests have erupted all over. The situation is tense and grim. The recent spree of the death of migrant workers and Kashmiri civilians has also shaken the Valley. Children are also being orphaned, losing their parents in these gruesome incidents of firing. On the other side, the mocking laughter of the security forces on the face of a daughter who lost her father will haunt Kashmiris forever.
Of note, 25 Kashmiris have been killed in search operations and fake encounters since October 1, 2021. The fresh recent killings provoked protests against the government in different areas in Kashmir. Some Kashmiris claim that the troops are killing civilians under a new policy devised by Home Minister Amit Shah during his latest visit to Kashmir.
Kashmiris allege that the security forces are waging a war against innocent Kashmiris, especially after Amit Shah’s visit, systematically carrying out genocide, using Kashmiris as human shields, and then coolly labeling them as over ground workers which is now part of Prime Minister Modi’s rule book, it appears. Apparently, civilians are being dragged in and attacked mercilessly, labeled falsely as terrorists and they have no law or courts to defend them.
On this occasion, the government should have given the bodies back to the families and allowed them decent burials and given closure to the families, and barring this is opening deep wounds and stirring up more troubles in an already very sensitized zone. Did GOI overstep itself this time under the leading of Home Minister Amit Shah?