Killing sparks demos in IHK

Srinagar—The killing of Manzoor Ahmad Beg, of Aloochi Bagh here has evoked widespread condemnation from pro-freedom as well as mainstream parties demanding judicial probe into the incident and exemplary punishment to the killers. Expressing grief over the killing of Manzoor Ahmed Beigh of Aluchi Bagh who was a father of three, Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani said: “On one hand State government boasts of safeguarding human rights, on the other they have given relentless powers to troops to kill innocent people.” Geelani said intended to offer Beg’s Nimaz-e-Jinazah and visit his family.

“But he has been put under house arrest,” he added. Geelani that Jammu and Kashmir had become a “police state where SOG and policemen were killing people at will.” Terming the assurance of probe by Deputy Commissioner as ‘deception’, Geelani said: “Such statements are later given to minimize resentment and tension.” Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that government of India continues to indulge in gross human rights violations in Kashmir. 

“Killing innocent people is the real face of Indian democracy,” Mirwaiz said. Terming the killing of Manzoor by SOG as ‘inhumane’, Chairman of JKLF Muhammad Yaseen Malik said: “In addition to this cold blooded murder, the government unleashed shower of batons on the mourners,” Malik said. Expressing serious concern over the custodial killing, the Jamaat-i-Islami Jammu and Kashmir termed it the worst demonstration of state ‘terrorism.’ Praying for the peace to departed soul, the Jama’at expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. 

The Jamaat expressed solidarity with the family of Beigh and appealed international community to rise to the occasion and raise voice against the worst kind of human rights violations occurring in Kashmir. Jammu Kashmir Mass Movement Patron Fareeda Behanji termed the killing of Beigh as “state-sponsored terrorism”. Behanji said that such killings fall under the plan of genocide which India started in 1989. 

“For the genocide of Kashmiri people National Conference Patron Farooq Abdullah introduced SOG in Kashmir,” she said. Party’s General Secretary Mudasir Maqbool led a protest rally in Aluchi Bagh which was dispersed after police resorted to heavy baton charging of protesters. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (R) spokesman while condemning the killing, termed it as worst kind of ‘state terrorism.’ The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association while condemning the killing, said that it had taken strong note of the torture that the victim had been subjected. “We demand immediate action against the SP SOG Srinagar.” 

The Bar demanded that the accused should be booked under the Sec 302 of RPC for murder and demanded the Police station Shergari register an FIR against the accused. Condemning the killing, the Jammu Kashmir Salvation Movement (JKSM) chairman Zaffar Akbar Bhat demanded impartial probe into it. Meanwhile, a delegation of JKSM led by Zaffar visited the residence of deceased. The Democratic Liberation Party chairman, Hashim Qureshi, while condemning the killing, demanded punishment to the killers. The Democratic Political Movement chairman, Firdous Ahmad Shah, while condemning the killing, demanded impartial probe.

The Peoples’ Political Party chairman, Hilal Ahmad War, while condemning the killing, termed it as the most serious human rights violation.—NNI