Police in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) on Wednesday reportedly detained protesting family members of two civilians who were killed in Srinagar’s Hyderpora area on Monday.
Journalist Aakash Hassan tweeted a video of the distressed family members protesting the deaths of their loved ones at Srinagar’s Press Enclave. Hassan claimed that authorities in IOJK had turned the lights off at the enclave and rounded up the protestors.
#Kashmir: Police forceful just detained family members who were protesting killing of their kin.
The lights suddenly went off in press enclave and then police detained the protestors. pic.twitter.com/ACm7My7MK7
— Aakash Hassan (@AakashHassan) November 17, 2021
The protestors were apparently forcibly removed from the site and there was an alleged fight between the two sides as well, reported the Quint.
According to media reports, the deceased were Mudasir Ahmed, and Mohammad Altaf Bhat. They were reportedly killed in an encounter orchestrated by IOJK forces. The protestors were demonstrating against authorities, who refused to give the family members their loved ones’ mortal remains.
The two died after they were caught in the crossfire in a shootout at a commercial centre in the city, which IOJK authorities argued was a counter terrorism move. Bhat was reportedly the owner of the building, whereas Ahmed was a tenant in it. Two freedom fighters, along with Bhat and Ahmed, were also killed in the encounter.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the Kashmir Zone Police claimed that Bhat had operated as [a] ‘terror associate’.
#SrinagarEncounterUpdate: The house owner who was injured in terrorist fire, succumbed to his injuries. #Terrorists have been hiding on top floor of his building. As per source and digital evidence, he has been working as #terror associate. Search is still going on: IGP Kashmir https://t.co/rRfPbiqq1C
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) November 15, 2021
Bhat’s niece, Saima Bhat, speaking to a local Kashmiri newspaper, however, maintained that her uncle and Ahmed were civilians killed unjustly in ‘cold blood’.
The Foreign Office (FO) in a statement on Thursday condemned the brutal killings of Kashmiris in ‘fake encounters’ since October 1. The statement noted that at least 30 Kashmiris have died at the hands of IOJK forces. It furthered that the operations revealed the ravages of the ‘Hindutva’ inspired Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership in IOJK. It also implored the global community to assist in finding a solution to the Kashmir crisis in accordance with the United National Security Council resolutions.