Death Of Two Civilians: CM Abdullah, Mufti Term Incidents 'Unfortunate'; Call For Inquiry

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that he had taken up these incidents with the Union Government and insisted that the inquiries be conducted in a time-bound, transparent manner.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti both condemned the killing of a Baramulla truck driver and the death of a youth in Kathua, calling them highly unfortunate. They emphasized that the matters should be investigated under a time-bound inquiry. The Chief Minister stated that he had taken up these incidents with the Union Government and insisted that the inquiries be conducted in a time-bound, transparent manner.

Writing on X, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, "I have seen reports of excessive use of force and harassment of Makhan Din in police custody in Billawar, leading to his suicide, and the death of Waseem Ahmed Malla, who was shot by the army under unclear circumstances.

Both incidents are highly unfortunate and should not have happened. J&K will never be completely normalized and free of terror without the cooperation and partnership of the local population. Incidents like these risk alienating the very people we need to carry with us on the road to complete normalcy.

I have taken up these incidents with the Union Government and insisted that both incidents be inquired into in a time-bound, transparent manner. The Government in J&K will also order its own inquiries," reads the post.

Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti wrote about the Kathua incident on X: "Shocking news from Kathua: Makhan Din, aged 25, from Perody, Billawar, was detained by the SHO of Billawar on false charges of being an Over Ground Worker (OGW). He was reportedly subjected to brutal thrashing and torture, forced into a confession, and tragically found dead today. The area has been sealed off, and internet services have been cut, leading to widespread panic. There's an ongoing crackdown, with more individuals being picked up. This incident appears to follow a troubling pattern of targeting innocent youths on fabricated charges. I urge the DGP @JmuKmrPolice to initiate an immediate investigation," reads the post.

Additionally, PDP chief spokesperson and Mehbooba Mufti's daughter, Iltija Mufti, held a press conference to address both incidents. Iltija stated, "A truck driver, Waseem Mir, was killed yesterday in Baramulla by the army in a wild goose chase. I want to ask the army what they got out of the truck. Makhan Din, a 25-year-old from Kathua, was killed in custodial torture. There's no sense of safety and security. I want to ask this government why they are silent on these issues. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have voted for them."

Referring to 500 detentions after the Kulgam terror attack, Iltija said, "How can the government dub every Kashmiri as a militant? Over Ground Workers and hybrid militants are ambiguous terms. How long will these terms be used to torture Kashmiris? Fear is gripping Kashmiris; there's no sense of dignity." She also criticized the Omar-led government, saying, "The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, being the head of the state, is silent on everything. NC has always betrayed the people. The present government doesn't want to irritate the center," she added.

Meanwhile, in the Kathua incident, Jammu Police has taken cognizance and ordered a time-bound inquiry by the DIG Jammu Kathua Samba Range. Apart from the police inquiry, a magisterial inquiry has also been ordered by the District Magistrate of Kathua to ascertain the actual cause of death. The inquiry magistrate has been instructed to submit a report within five days.