SRINAGAR: Amid silent protest the people along with the family members of Manzoor Ahmad Dar, a chemist of Rawalpora Srinagar, who was subjected to enforced disappearance in 2002 offered funeral prayers in absentia for him. Though the family members did not know what happened to Manzoor in custody yet according to them they are dead sure he would have been killed in custody.
Eyewitnesses told CNS that hundreds of people including family members carrying placards and banners seeking punishment to the killers of Manzoor Ahmed assembled in Rawalpora Srinagar and staged a peaceful protest there. Separatist leaders including Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Imtiyaz Hyder, Mehrajuddin Kalwal, Pir Saifullah, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo, Imtiyaz Ahmed Reshi and Zahoor Ahmed Bhat were part of the protest. They offered funeral prayers in absentia that was led by Hurriyat G leader Pir Saifullah .
Manzoor Ahmad Dar, a chemist, was picked up from his home at Rawalpora by unidentified gunmen on intervening night of January 18/19 in 2002. Following massive protests, police station Saddar here filed an FIR under section 364 (abduction) against Armys 35 Rashtriya Rifles. Subsequently, during the investigation, the name of Major Kishore Malhotra (now brigadier) surfaced as an accused.
On November 26 last year, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the custodial disappearance of Manzoor closed the investigation in the case. It concluded that the victim could have died in custody of Armys 35 Rashtriya Rifles led by Major Kishore Malhotra after he was abducted from his residence in January 2002 and his body could have been disposed of.
The custodial disappearance has occurred nearly about 14 years ago which clearly indicates that the disappeared person could have died in custody of 35 RR and accordingly section 302 (murder) of RPC is invoked, reads the status report filed by the SIT in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Daughter of the Chemist Bilqees Manzoor told CNS that they will never stop fighting until the killers are punished. She said that it is irony the Army officer responsible for the abduction and disappearance of my father was promoted to Brigadier. Killers must be booked and punished and we will leave no stone unturned in bringing the culprits to justice, she said. (CNS)
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