Srinagar, July 7, 2012: The mysterious killing of Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, 28, in Indian sate Andhra Pradesh (AP) sparked protests and clashes in his native village Soozath Narbal in Baramulla district, injuring many protesters including a police officer. The clashes erupted between agitating youth, police and CRPF on Saturday morning when locals blocked Srinagar-Baramulla highway near Narbal crossing after they came to know that Asharaf has been killed in Andhra Pradesh. The protesters were demanding airlifting of Ashraf’s body.
Scores of protesters and policemen were injured in clashes after report of death of a person in Indian Andhra Pradesh reached his home at Narbal area on Saturday. Protesters from Soozath in Narbal area blocked road saying that Kashmir authority has failed in protecting Kashmiris working in Indian states.
Police and CRPF personnel used force to remove the blockade of the highway by the residents of Soozath who were also urging the intervene in bringing the body of Muhammad Ashraf Bhat to Kashmir. The dead body of the Ashraf Bhat, aged 28, son of Ghulam Ahmad of Soozath was found on July 5 at about 1 am in Andhra Pradesh. Ashraf is survived by two daughters and wife.
Ashraf had gone to Chennai after someone had offered him a job, his family told Greater Kashmir. “It has been two days since Ashraf’s dead body was found in Andhra Pradesh. The regime led by Omar Abdullah is not doing a anything to bring back the body,” said a resident, Muhammad Rafiq. “The youth reportedly had not been keeping well and was returning home by Andoman Express. His dead body was spotted by some passengers who then informed the railway police at Ram Gundum Police out post,” a police statement said.
However, his family said Ashraf was promised a job by some Sharma Ji who would continuously call him until June 24. “My brother left home on June 24 at about 3 pm. That day he received more than 10 telephone calls from some Sharma Ji,” Ashraf’s sister, Dilshada told media men. “After 80 days he called a person in our village telling him to convey to his family that he is fine. The person told us that Ashraf had called him. But he never called the family,” she said.
Dilshada said before leaving home, Ashraf had written on a piece of paper that he had some important work to do and it shall take him eight days. “He had written that Sharma Ji has offered him a job which will earn him Rs 5000 per month,” Dilshada said. Demanding a high-level investigation into eldest son’s killing, Ghulam Ahmad, Ashraf’s father, said Ashraf was lured by someone for a job. “The continuous telephone calls from someone would make him uneasy and before leaving the home he had only talked to his mother saying he has some work and will come back,” he said. Ashraf’s family said the actual cause of his killing should be ascertained and a probe be ordered to bring culprits to Justice.
Protestors blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla highway at Narbal for over five hours on Tuesday, sayingg that a local resident had been murdered in the South Indian city of Hyderabad. Over six persons, including the station house officer for Parimpora, were injured as clashes broke out when police used cane-charges and tear gas to break up the demonstration.
Relatives said that thirty-year-old Muhammad Ashraf Bhat, from the Goripora area of Narbal, had been murdered abroad that Andhra Express when apparently travelling from Chennai to Hyderabad. The police here claimed that authorities in Hyderabad had described Bhat’s death as natural, and that arrangements were being made to bring the body home after legal formalities in the South Indian city.
Bhat, who had left Srinagar for Chennai on June 26 in connection with his work, was supposed to meet one Sharma in Hyderabad. Groups of youth took to the streets in Narbal as soon as news arrived that Bhat, a father of two, had died during travel. Hundreds of vehicles were held up on the busy highway as the protestors held a dharna almost for half of the day. Stone pelting broke out when police used tear gas and cane charges to disperse the demonstration. Six persons, including the station house officer for Parimpora, were injured in the violence.
Talking to Kashmir Times, relatives of the deceased youth said that Asharaf was murdered in Andhra Pradesh and rejected police theory that he was ill and died in train, while returning home. His relatives also said that he was in good health and had gone to Chennai couple of weeks ago in search of a job.
His relatives said that Asharaf had a friend in Chennai who had promised him to arrange a job in the city. “Since he left the home, he was in contact with his family. On the interim night of July 6, some police officials called his family that Asharaf is no more and his body is lying in Andhra Pradesh police station,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, one of the relatives of Ashraf.
His relative said that Asharaf was working with a private security company and had worked in Hotel Capture also. “He had gone to Indian city Hyderabad for a better job. But his journey proved fatal and he was killed under mysterious circumstances,” he said.
The family has demanded a high level investigation so that actual cause of his killing would be known and culprits would be brought to justice. “Asharaf has two daughters after he got married few years ago. The entire family is traumatized after the incident,” the said.