KNB News Desk
Srinagar 19 November (KNB): After Hurriyat’s call for a strike on Friday against the Hyderpora ‘encounter’, people have supported the call by observing a complete shutdown in the valley.
Reports from different districts of Kashmir reaching KNB have confirmed that the strike call from Hurriyat is being observed with shops remaining shut and minuscule private vehicles seen plying on the roads.
The day-long strike across Kashmir came as a sign of people’s anger and dejection after the innocence of three persons among four killed in the Hyderpora encounter was claimed by their families. The aggrieved families, however, also staged a protest in Srinagar for returning of slain’s bodies to them for their last rites.
To demand mortal remains of the slain, besides families, the regional political parties also came out on streets and staged protests against the government’s refusal of handing over bodies to their families.
With hue and cry from all quarters, the bodies of Altaf Ahmad and Dr Mudasir Gul were handed over to their kin last night for completing their last rites after being exhumed from graves in North Kashmir.
The Hyderpora encounter necessitated the JK administration to order a magisterial probe in it following conflicting statements from officials and the victims’ families’ complete rejection of those claims.
However, on Thursday, LG Manoj Sinha ordered for a magisterial probe in the Hyderpora encounter and hours after his announcement, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration sought a Judicial probe in the Hyderpora encounter, which they said is the only credible probe in their view.
It is pertinent to mention that after the exhuming of bodies of Altaf and Dr. Mudasir, the family of a third person, Amir, who was also killed in the encounter, have been requesting for his body to be handed over to them. His family has also denied him having any connections with militants and as per Amir’s kin, he was a labourer.
Mehbooba Mufti, however, has also appealed for Amir’s body to be handed over to his family members so that they could lay him rest with proper burial. (KNB)