A 23-year-old man suspected of having links with the Lashkar-e-Taiba drowned in the Vaishow stream while allegedly attempting to escape from police custody, sparking allegations of custodial death and calls for a judicial probe.
The deceased, Imtiyaz Ahmed, was detained by the police for questioning in connection with a terror case and reportedly drowned on Saturday. Police have claimed that Ahmed jumped into the stream in a bid to escape while being taken to a location he had allegedly identified as a militant hideout.
According to police officials, Ahmed's name surfaced during the investigation of an encounter that occurred on 23 April, in which two militants fled after a brief gunfight with security personnel. Investigators claim that Ahmed admitted knowledge of a Lashkar hideout and, during a follow-up operation, led police to the spot. It was at this juncture, they say, that he made a sudden attempt to flee by leaping into the gushing Vaishow stream.
Drone footage released by the police purportedly shows Ahmed jumping into the water and being swept away by the current. His body was later recovered downstream.
However, the family of the deceased has strongly disputed the police narrative, alleging that Imtiyaz Ahmed died in custody and accusing the authorities of fabricating the escape account to conceal the truth.
This latest incident has evoked grim memories of a previous case in the region, in which the bodies of three missing Gujjar youths from Kulgam were also recovered from the same stream under suspicious circumstances. That case remains under investigation.
ALso read: India retaliates after Pak fires across 8 LoC sectors in J&K
Outrage has poured in from various quarters across the Union Territory, with opposition leaders and civil society groups questioning the police’s conduct.
Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti took to social media, asserting, “If a single act of violence can shake the entire system, triggering arbitrary arrests, home demolitions, and the targeting of innocent civilians, then the perpetrators have already achieved their objective.”
She further questioned the official version of events, suggesting foul play and demanding accountability from the authorities.
State Cabinet Minister Sakina Itoo visited the bereaved family in Kulgam and demanded a judicial investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ahmed’s death.
“There should be a judicial probe (into Magray’s death) so that the truth comes out,” she said. She also asserted that there was no criminal record against the deceased in official records.
The incident comes on the heels of a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley on 22 April, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed by a group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. In its aftermath, security forces launched a widescale anti-terror operation, detaining several individuals for questioning, including Ahmed.
While police maintain that the operation was conducted in accordance with due procedure, the death has added to mounting concerns over human rights violations in conflict zones and the opaque nature of some counter-insurgency actions in the region.
Political observers note that the growing number of such incidents risks further alienating the local population, especially when transparent investigations are not undertaken.
Calls for a judicial probe into Ahmed’s death have gained momentum, with legal experts and human rights groups underscoring the need for an impartial inquiry to ascertain whether the police acted lawfully or if foul play was involved.
Follow us
