Bandipora, Aug 15: “We want freedom” shouted head constable Abdul Ahad Jan while he hurled his shoe towards the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah as he was unfurling the tri-color at Bakshi-Stadium here today.
 Apparently disturbed at the civilian killings, Jan took the extreme step to give vent to his brimming anger. His nephew, Gulzar Ahmad believes that he has not done anything wrong. “Kashmiris have been confined to houses, our children are on the verge of starvation and our youth are being killed. He (Jan) had no other way to show anger over the unabated killings. Till we achieve freedom, protests like this will continue,” Gulzar said.
 Jan who has been arrested for the act, was a victim of the notorious Ikhwanis (pro-government gunmen). They not only torched his house in ‘90s for resenting the killings of civilians in his native Ajas village, but also fired upon his son rendering his one arm disabled.
 Jan’s family which has abruptly come to the centre-stage strongly refutes the Government’s claim that he was suspended or suffered from any psychiatric disorder. Their version was acknowledged by thousands of people who shouted slogans in Jan’s favour and marched towards his house to felicitate his family. 
 Jan’s brother Sanaullah Jan said he is emotional since his childhood. “He could never tolerate any discrimination. He is very sensitive and felt sad over the killings in the Valley. The police have cooked up a story that he is mentally unwell or suspended. This is a blatant lie. He was posted in the house of MLA Kulgam CPI (M) state secretary MY Tarigami. He had come home yesterday to handover his salary to the family,” Sanaullah told Greater Kashmir. 
 He said in 1996, the Ikhwanis had killed five civilians in Bandipore. “My brother dared to rebuke the Ikhwanis saying they had killed innocents. They torched his house and repeatedly harassed him and his family. The Ikhwanis also fired upon his son, Showkat Ahmad leaving his left arm disabled. Our family has been a victim of human rights violation by the Ikhwanis,” he maintained.
 He said to avenge the atrocities on his family, Showkat had joined the militant ranks. However he was arrested and imprisoned for two years. “He (Showkat) was so moved by the Ikhwanis reign of terror that he did not listen to his father and took up arms,” he maintained. 
 Incidentally, Jan’s nephew Ayaz Ahmad Jan, who was studying in Uttar Pradesh, is behind bars for past eight years on charges of being affiliated with a militant outfit, a charge vehemently denied by his family.
 “Jan was concerned over his nephew who was implicated in a false case just for being a Kashmiri,” he said. Sanaullah said his brother (Jan), who is a matriculate, was recruited in police in 1976. “He has been working with sheer dedication and honesty. Infact he has been many time felicitated by police for his distinguished services. However, he has the habit of calling spade and spade. Whenever he found his officers or colleagues doing something wrong, he used to raise his voice. As a result he was implicated in false cases and even punished. But he has always sided with truth,” he said.
 Earlier as the word about the incident spread, people from Safapora, Naidkhai and adjoining areas marched in a procession to Jan’s house. Some people were so elated by Jan’s act that they sang traditional Kashmiri songs amid drum beats. Jan’s family comprising his wife Bega, two sons and two daughters, were greeted by the enthused people till the evening.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
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