Islamabad (Anantnag), Nov 8:  Panic gripped the Kashmiri community living in Simla after a Shawl vendor from Kokernag area of this south Kashmir district was found dead in the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
 Reports said that the body of a shawl vendor Ghulam Mohiuddin Tantray, 28, son of Ghulam Qadir Tantray of  Watinar Naravpora  of Kokernag was found in the Jubbal village of Ruhru Tehsil on Wednesday.
 The deceased had gone missing on Tuesday and his body with visible torture marks was found the very next day.
 “A customer wishing to purchase some shawls, had called him to his home and he had left his accommodation early Tuesday morning,” said Bashir Ahmad Bhat, who runs a showroom of Kashmiri handicrafts in the Ruhru area.
 He said that Tantray’s friends got worried after he did not turn up to his place in the evening and they went searching for him. “Unable to find him anywhere they lodged a police complaint,” said Bhat.
 However on the Wednesday Tantray’s friend received a call from the Sarpanch of the Jubbal village informing them that the villagers had found a body.
 Reports said that Tantray body bore torture marks and seemed to have been apparently strangulated, “The post-mortem has been carried out on the body and the report is awaited,” said a police officer. 
 According to the reports the body has been dispatched from Simla and is expected to arrive at his home on Friday morning.
 Tantrays family back home is in a state of shock.
  “Our family is associated with Shawl business in Simla since last 36 years , said Tantray’s elder  brother.
 He said that it was however the first time that his brother went to this place for selling shawls.
 “He got married last year and has a 2 month old daughter,” said he.
  “ There are about 150 Shawl vendors from the village who sell Shawls in Simla and their families are concerned about their safety,” said a villager.
 They demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 8 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 9 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST