Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Thursday said that after allegations of “custodial killing” by the family members of Irfan Dar, a 26-year-old resident of Sopore, District Magistrate Baramulla has ordered an inquiry to find out how the youth died.
“I believe the youth (Irfan Ahmed) died after falling on a stone. He may have died due to cardiac arrest when he fled during a raid amid darkness. Let the inquiry team and medical team come up with exact details about his death,” Mr. Kumar said, replying a query as to how a youth who was in police custody died.
The administration had refused to handover Mr. Dar’s body back to the family. The IGP said it was done “in view of the COVID-19” pandemic and instead buried at Sonmarg area of Ganderbal in presence of a magistrate and close relations.
“Earlier, there was written agreement when a militant had died in Sopore, that only 50 to 60 men would attend funeral but 2,000 turned up. So we had apprehensions that 10,000 or 20,000 people may gather at the funeral and there was a risk of spread of the pandemic. So that’s why body wasn’t handed over to family,” the IGP said, reported a local news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He, however, reiterated that Mr. Dar was an over ground worker and from whose possession two hand grenades were recovered, a claim that his family strongly refuted. The IGP added that Mr. Dar was “taken for more recovery during the night after which he fled during darkness”. (KNO)
