South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Srinagar, January 17, 2018: A 50-year-old civilian Mohammad Ayoub Mir  who was hit by bullets of Indian forces on Dec 19, 2017  in Batmurran in Shopian district succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
Muhammad Ayoib Mir, son of late Ghulam Qadir Mir, of Molu-Chitragam, father of four died Tuesday morning, when the family was preparing to take him to Srinagar hospital for a checkup.“At around 9 am we were leaving for Srinagar for checkup but as we were leaving he fell on ground unconscious. We tried to take him to hospital but he was not breathing and later doctors at Shopian hospital declared him dead,” Gul Muhammad, a neighbor of Mir said.
Hundreds of people participated in his funeral, as he was laid to rest amid pro-freedom slogans. His body was wrapped in a Pakistani flag while several Paksitani flags were raised during the funeral.
Emotional scenes were witnessed as women beat their chests wailing his death. Ayoib is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter. Mir’s daughter, a 5th grade student, was wailing as women around her held and consoled her.
Mir, a labourer, was hit with three bullets on December 19 during protest at Batmaran-Wanpora village of Shopian when Indian forces were killed two militants and a  young woman. Five residential houses and two cowsheds were razed to ground by the forces in the area. Over 50 protesters were injured on December 19, 2017.
Villagers said that Mir was a poor labourer with four children, and had no resources. His treatment expenses were borne by the villagers, they said. He lived in a single storey house shared with the family of his brother. A family member told media men said that Mir’s elder son (16) left studies before his matriculation to help his father.
“Gowhar too was now helping his father to meet the two ends of family. All the expenses for the treatment of Ayoib were borne by his native villagers since the family had no means to do so,” Bashir Ahmad, a villager said.
Mir had faced trouble last year too. He was arrested by Indian forces on February 23, 2017.
He was in detention for 10 days and later admitted in dental hospital for 20 days. “He was ruthlessly beaten by the Indian army. Then they handed him over to police, all the expenses of treatment were provided by villagers even then,” Bilal Ahmad Mir, another local resident said.