Police denies family claims
Srinagar: The family of slain Old City youth Saturday said they were not allowed to offer Fateh (a post-funeral prayer) of their son at ‘martyrs graveyard’ by police and paramilitary troopers.
The family of Bashir Ahmad Bhat who was killed in ‘armed forces’ firing on Wednesday soon after the polling concluded, said that the police and Central Reserve Police Force came early in the morning and imposed curfew in of Gratabal Nov Kadal.
“Initially, after seeing their mood, we couldn’t even dare to ask them to allow us for offering Bashir’s Fateh,” Farooq Ahmad Bhat, his family member, said over phone, adding when we asked they refused.Bashir was buried at ‘martyrs’ graveyard’ Eidgah, which is barely one kilometer away from Nov Kadal. He alleged that the tent which was installed by family was also removed by government forces. “They even removed the tent,” he said.
Farooq added then we installed the tent in another locality, Arampora. “They allowed us to install tent at Arampora only after telling us that no loudspeaker should be used by you people or any disturbance should be created,” he said. “They also thrashed two to three people.”He said due to government restrictions we could not install epitaph on Bashir’s grave.
However, denying family’s claim, the Superintendent of Police (SP) City North, Tahir Saleem Khan told GNS they didn’t bar anyone from going to Eidgah. “But,” he said, “Whosoever felt that he can’t reach the grave yard, he didn’t go. But we didn’t stop anyone.” The officer also denied family’s charge that they were forced to remove the tent.
“There was curfew on main road but no restrictions were imposed from inner localities,” he added. (GNS)