Kin of civilians killed in encounter removed by police from protest site in Srinagar: Officials

PTI, Nov 18, 2021, 9:53 AM IST

The family members of two civilians killed in an encounter in Srinagar’s Hyderpora, who were staging a sit-in at the Press Enclave here, were forcibly removed by police around midnight and a few of them were detained, officials said on Thursday.

The protesting families were on a sit-in since Wednesday morning and held a candlelight vigil after the daylong protest.

They stayed put at the Press Enclave amidst a biting cold, demanding that the bodies of their kin be returned to them.

However, police forcibly removed the protestors from the site at around midnight, the officials said.

They said the power supply to the area was snapped before the arrival of the police personnel.

Several protesters were detained by the police, the officials added.

Mainstream politicians from Jammu and Kashmir have condemned the police action, video clips of which have gone viral on the social media.

”Instead of handing over mortal remains of the innocent civilians, police has arrested the family members for demanding the bodies of their loved ones. Unbelievably ruthless & insensitive. Least they can do is return the mortal remains immediately,” People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti wrote on Twitter.

People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone said the administration is intent on presenting its ”inhuman and ugly face”.

”What on earth Has happened to the administration. Y can’t they present a human face. Y r they so intent on presenting a v inhuman and ugly face (sic),” he said in a tweet.

”General Dyer must be very proud of you @JmuKmrPolice,” National Conference (NC) leader Ruhullah Mehdi wrote on Twitter.