By: Sajid Yousuf, Senior Reporter ICN
Rizwan Pandit, a school principal who died in police custody in Jammu and Kashmir’s winters Capital on March 18, was tortured, according to his brother. His brother also said that Pandit was detained in connection with a militancy related case by J&K Police. His father, Assadullah Pandit, a retired central government official, is a member of Jama’at-e-Islami, which was recently banned by Home Ministry.
After his death Social Media was full of condemnation, protest and anger. Everyone from all corner of the valley strongly condemned the killing of a school teacher in police custody. Killings in custody has always been a major concern in India in general and in the valley in particular.
Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who is also a religious leader Tweeted “Distraught at the brutal custodial killing of young Rizwan Ahmed of Awantipora. The brutal killing once again exposes 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 (JRL), a group of separatists Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Yasin Malik and Syed Ali Shah Geelani, called for a strike in Kashmir to protest against Rizwan Pandit’s death. All shops and commercial establishments in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk remained closed due to the bandh called by JRL. Mobile internet services were snapped in southern Kashmir. Road side protests were witnessed political parties like the National Conference taking to the streets, other parties also strongly condemned Rizwans’s killing in police custody.
Merely two days after Pandith’s death, his close friend Shahid Manzoor joined militancy. In an audio message that surfaced on social media, he was heard pledging “jihad to end oppression” of the security forces.
Atif, a class 6th student, died during an encounter at Hajin village in Bandipora after being allegedly taken hostage and used as a human shield by two Pakistani militants, who were killed by security forces. The minor boy Atif was killed by the Pakistani militants inside the house during the encounter between security forces and the militants.
Life in Kashmir was normal even after death of a 6th grader kid. Hajin observed a shutdown not for mourning the death of a 6th grader school kid but in support of security forces who eliminated two Pakistani militants. Joint RESISTANCE leadership (JRL) called for shutdown on the ban on JKLF but they didn’t dare to give bandh call on the killing of Atif, a 6th grade school going kid, who was killed by the Pakistani terrorists. 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 to lure and seduce his sister. Ali Bhai wanted to marry Atif’s sister and roughed up several family members after learning that 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, Atif the small kid couldn’t save himself to be captured by the Pakistani minitants. 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 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 few have condemned Pakistani militants for taking him hostage. On his funeral it was surprisingly chanted pro-azadi and anti-India slogans but no slogans against Pakistani Militant Outfits that made Atif hostage and used him as 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 threatening them on pretext of killing the minor boy or raping their daughter. One of the Militant had eye on 18-year-old girl (Atif’s Sister) due to the fear family sent the girl to sopore. When Pakistani LeT’s 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 have witnessed such incidents in the past where the condemnation is decided on the basis of gun and who killed whom, there is no social security, no governance, no administration. The killed security personnel are ‘Martyrs’, while the local people who are killed even by the Pakistani militants is labelled as ‘Agents’.
Writer is socio-political activist, President of All J&K Youth Society he can be reached at sajidyousufshah@gmail.com
