The Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed an uproar over the deaths of two tribal youths in South Kashmir's Kulgam district and the alleged "inhuman" actions of the police against those protesting these deaths.
As soon as the House assembled in the morning, members of the ruling National Conference, joined by Independent MLA from Surankote, Choudhary Mohammad Akram, raised the issue of the two youths' deaths. They also pointed to the police's actions against those protesting the killings.
Choudhary Mohammad Akram demanded action against the police officer who, according to him, assaulted a woman protesting the deaths.
Members of the ruling National Conference, Congress, and the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) also stood up from their benches and joined the Independent MLA in demanding action against the erring police personnel.
Enraged by the police's actions against the protesters, members asked, "Are we living in a police state?"
Amidst the uproar, some members attempted to rush to the Well of the House but were stopped by marshals.
As protests continued, Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather stated that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had assured the protesting legislators that he would address the matter.
PDP Demands Judicial Probe
The opposition PDP has demanded a judicial inquiry, led by a sitting judge, into the mysterious deaths of two tribal youths in Kulgam, South Kashmir.
In a statement, the party called for a time-bound probe to ascertain the cause of the mysterious deaths of Riyaz Ahmad Bajad and Shoukat Ahmad Bajad.
Bodies of Two Out of Three Missing Youths Recovered in Kulgam
Three nomadic youths—Showkat Ahmad Bajad, his brother Riyaz Ahmad Bajad, and Mukhtar Ahmad—went missing on February 13 while traveling to a family event. Their families held protests, urging authorities to find them. Later, the bodies of Riyaz and Showkat were recovered from the Veshow Nallah on separate days, raising further suspicion.
The recovery of the bodies led to demonstrations, with protestors blocking the Srinagar-Jammu highway and demanding an investigation. Mukhtar Ahmad remains missing.
Gujjar-Bakerwal legislators raised the issue in the Legislative Assembly, calling for transparency. Senior police officials, including the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the South Kashmir Range, have assured the public of a fair investigation. Authorities are working to establish the cause of death and locate the missing individual.
