J&K: Chorus for handing over body of 3rd victim grows louder

NT Correspondent

Srinagar: A day after J&K police, late on Thursday, quietly exhumed the bodies of two civilians killed in the controversial Srinagar encounter earlier this week and handed them over to the next of kin to be buried, the chorus for handing over the mortal remains of Amir Ahmad Magray -- the third person killed in the gunfight and whose kin claim he was innocent -- grew louder on Friday.

Cutting across party and political lines, leaders from the mainstream as well as the separatist camp demanded that Magray’s body be also returned to his family in the Ramban area of Jammu for last rites, as a shutdown was observed across many parts of Kashmir in protest against the killings. The separatist group All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) had called for the shutdown on Friday. Magrey, who was killed in Hyderpora encounter is yet to be given a decent burial by his mourning family. The fact that these families are begging for the mortal remains instead of asking for justice reflects their lack of faith in the system, and his body must be returned immediately, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Twitter. There has been no word from the police or the administration if the dead body would be returned to the family for proper burial. People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration - the alliance of several parties in Kashmir, on Friday also sent to letter to President of India Ram Nath Kovind urging him to ensure that involved erring officials are brought to book and punished under the law. -(With inputs from agencies)