The death of 23-year-old Imtiaz Ahmad Magray from Tangmarg during a search operation by security forces has triggered fresh anger in Kashmir. His family and political leaders are demanding a judicial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to the police, Magray — a labourer suspected of being an overground worker (OGW) — jumped into a river in Kulgam on May 4 allegedly to avoid arrest. They claim drone footage captured him leaping into the fast-flowing Vishaw Nallah. His body was later recovered by locals and handed over to the police for post-mortem.
However, Magray's family disputes the police version. They allege that Magray was detained days earlier and accuse security forces of foul play. According to them, he was taken from his workplace, held in custody, and later returned dead. The family is calling for a judicial inquiry, demanding justice and transparency.
The incident has sparked political outcry amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 tourists and one local horse ride operator.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, while strongly condemning the Pahalgam attack, warned the government’s heavy-handed response — including arrests, house demolitions, and civilian harassment — was worsening public alienation.
“Allegations of misconduct, whether related to the Bandipora encounter or this latest incident in Kulgam, are alarming and demand an impartial and thorough probe. If a single act of violence is used to justify the erosion of civil rights, the perpetrators of terror have already won,” she said.
Also read
- WATCH | 'We stopped potential India-Pakistan nuclear war': Donald Trump repeats unending ceasefire claim, but admits...
- Child finds 'Chinese' gun-mountable scope from garbage bin in Jammu and Kashmir, probe on
- How the Indian Army, BSF are keeping vigil as intel suggests Pak terrorists may use Jammu’s dense fog for cover
- J&K hydel project row: Nov 1 police letter claims 29 with 'terror or criminal' links were hired at Ratle
Jammu and Kashmir Minister Sakina Itoo visited Magray’s family and supported their demand for an inquiry. “The elected government stands with the bereaved family. The truth must come out,” she said.
Magray’s death is the latest in a string of troubling cases reported after the Pahalgam attack. In Kupwara, the brother of an imprisoned militant was recently killed in an encounter. In another case, a civilian, whose brother had crossed into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the 1990s, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.