Body of a Langate youth who was killed along with four LeT militants in a gunfight on August 9 at Dooniwari forests of Rafiabad in north Kashmir, was exhumed on Saturday and handed over to the family for his burial.
The DNA test carried out by the authorities following family claim that one among the five slain militants was their missing son, had tested positive.
Muzaffar Ahmad Mir, 22, the missing Langate youth, along with four unidentified LeT militants was killed during a joint operation carried by security forces and police in Dooniwari forests of Rafiabad on August 5. The operation continued for four days.
All the slain militants were buried at Hamam, in Rafiabad area of Baramulla district.
“The slain militants had most probability infiltrated from across the border recently. We have recovered weapons and war like stores from the slain militants which suggest that they belonged to LeT outfit,” Dharam Raj Rai, Brigadier 7 sector, had said at a press conference at Pohrupeth Handwara, after the culmination of the encounter.
However, as the pictures of the slain militants surfaced, a family from Langate claimed that one among the slain militants was their missing son Muzaffar Ahmad.
According to family members, Muzaffar, left his home on August 5 and was missing since then. They said they later lodged a missing report at Police Station Langate on August 6.
The area witnessed several protests demanding return of the body of the slain missing youth, however, the authorities had assured them if the DNA test matched with the slain youth, the body will be returned to the family.
Following the family claim, the authorities carried out DNA test and after the test matched, the district magistrate Baramulla ordered the exhumation of the body on Saturday.
“We ordered the exhumation of the body as the DNA test matched” said Nasir Ahmad Naqash, District Magistrate Baramulla.
Bashir Ahmad, father of the slain youth said the family was informed by the police on Saturday morning that the body of their son will be exhumed today.
Meanwhile, massive protests broke out soon after the body of Muzaffar reached home at Astana Mohalla Langate on Saturday evening.
Amid pro-freedom slogans, the body was later buried at martyrs’ graveyard at Langate.
The authorities earlier on Saturday snapped the internet services in most parts of Handwara.