Basharaat Masood
Farooq Ahmad Rather crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to enter Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) for arms training. He was killed on the border while trying to enter the Indian side again, says a report which the police had submitted to Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission.
But here's the catch. Farooq's family members say: "He had polio. He could not walk. How could he have crossed the LoC?
On November 3, 1990, Farooq, then 20 years old, went missing in south Kashmir. He left his home at Chandpora in Bijbehara for the Government Degree College at Anantnag, where he was pursuing a BSc degree.
Farooq didn't return home that day. Seventeen years have passed, but he is yet to return.
His family says he was picked up by an unidentified security agency on his way to college. The family approached local police to lodge a missing report. "Officials at the police station refused to register an FIR," says Farooq's brother Shabir Ahmad Rather.
So the family started a search on their own. "For 12 years we continued our search," says Shabir. "We visited security camps, police stations, interrogation centres and jails. But we couldn't find Farooq".
Next, the distraught family sought the help of the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission to trace Farooq. "The Commission directed the then Inspector General of Police, Deputy Commissioner and SSP, Anantnag to furnish a report," says Shabir. "The police report said Farooq crossed LoC for arms training and was killed as he was trying to intrude into this side. They (police) said the family hasn't filed a missing report".
"Farooq was handicapped since birth. He had polio," says his brother. "How could he have crossed the LoC?"
"The Commission also observed flaws in the police report. It asked police if Farooq was killed on the LoC, why was the family not informed then and why was the body not handed over to the family," says Shabir. "If the police claim is true why haven't they lodged an FIR in this regard? Why didn't they mention it in the report?"
Shabir says Farooq was seriously pursuing his career and his sole aim in life was excelling in studies.
The recent fake encounter expose has led the family to believe that Farooq too has been killed. "It's clear my brother has been killed," Shabir says. "But our fight for justice will not end. We will fight till the killers are punished".
Farooq Ahmad Rather crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to enter Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) for arms training. He was killed on the border while trying to enter the Indian side again, says a report which the police had submitted to Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission.
But here's the catch. Farooq's family members say: "He had polio. He could not walk. How could he have crossed the LoC?
On November 3, 1990, Farooq, then 20 years old, went missing in south Kashmir. He left his home at Chandpora in Bijbehara for the Government Degree College at Anantnag, where he was pursuing a BSc degree.
Farooq didn't return home that day. Seventeen years have passed, but he is yet to return.
His family says he was picked up by an unidentified security agency on his way to college. The family approached local police to lodge a missing report. "Officials at the police station refused to register an FIR," says Farooq's brother Shabir Ahmad Rather.
So the family started a search on their own. "For 12 years we continued our search," says Shabir. "We visited security camps, police stations, interrogation centres and jails. But we couldn't find Farooq".
Next, the distraught family sought the help of the Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission to trace Farooq. "The Commission directed the then Inspector General of Police, Deputy Commissioner and SSP, Anantnag to furnish a report," says Shabir. "The police report said Farooq crossed LoC for arms training and was killed as he was trying to intrude into this side. They (police) said the family hasn't filed a missing report".
"Farooq was handicapped since birth. He had polio," says his brother. "How could he have crossed the LoC?"
"The Commission also observed flaws in the police report. It asked police if Farooq was killed on the LoC, why was the family not informed then and why was the body not handed over to the family," says Shabir. "If the police claim is true why haven't they lodged an FIR in this regard? Why didn't they mention it in the report?"
Shabir says Farooq was seriously pursuing his career and his sole aim in life was excelling in studies.
The recent fake encounter expose has led the family to believe that Farooq too has been killed. "It's clear my brother has been killed," Shabir says. "But our fight for justice will not end. We will fight till the killers are punished".
No comments:
Post a Comment