South Asia Human Rights Journalist Association

Dead body of a youth, Abdul Rashid Dar, who had been arrested by Indian troops in December last year has been found in Zurhama forest area of Kupwara district, triggering protests against the Modi regime and its brutal army in his hometown, Kunan Poshpora  area of the Kupwara district. 

The body of martyred Abdul Rashid Dar was handed over to his family on Wednesday afternoon. Dar’s family confirmed to the media the custodial killing of their son. “The body was given to us [family] just a short while,” one of his brothers said, in a phone interview.

Speaking to a media outlet, Kunan village sarpanch Khursheed Ahmad said that the Kupwara district police chief called the family in the morning for identification after a body was recovered in the Zurhama forest area. 

“The body is in a dilapidated condition. And it was hard to identify it. However, the family members later identified a mark on his body, confirming that it is their son,” Ahmad said.

As soon as the news of the recovery of Dar’s body spread, the villagers assembled in Kunanposhpora area and staged a protest against the India and its brutal army.  The protesters raised anti-India slogans and called for justice and punishment to the Indian army personnel involved in  Dar’s abduction and subsequent killing in custody. 

Notably, Dar’s family had protested in Srinagar’s press enclave earlier in January, saying that their kin had been subjected to enforced disappearance after he was taken in custody by the Indian army.

On 22 December, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Yougal Manhas had also confirmed to the media persons that Dar was detained by the Indian army for “questioning in connection with a militancy case”. However, later the Indian army was claimed that he had escaped from custody on 15 December