By Muslim Mirror Staff
A 21-year-old man died after allegedly being tortured in police custody in Srinagar city of Indian-administered Kashmir on Saturday, just a day before Eid al-Adha. His family held a demonstration demanding strict action against cops responsible for his death.
Victim Muslim Muneer Lone was arrested on Saturday morning in connection with a theft case and was taken to the Nowgam police station in Srinagar. However, a team of the police came to his house in the afternoon and told his mother, Shafiqa, that his son had lost consciousness.
They asked Shafiqa to come with them. She went and after 15 minutes of journey, the police car stopped at a grinding halt. They asked her to move to another vehicle parked nearby. “When I got into the car, I saw Muslim lying on the middle seat. He couldn’t talk. They made me sign some papers and gave me Rs 400,” Shafiqa The Wire.
The police brought her and his unconscious son to their house instead of rushing to any hospital. After the police left the house, she rushed him to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The local police have denied allegations of foul play in the case. Senior Superintendent (SSP) Rakesh Balwal told Rising Kashmir that Lone died due to an overdose of drugs and was called to PS Nowgam Srinagar regarding an FIR no.95/22 u/s 397 IPC in a theft case.
“During questioning his health condition got worse as he had taken heavy drugs and was not responding well. After that, he was handed over to his family members. They took him to hospital where he had died,” he said.