A girl died of heart attack allegedly after her brother was picked up by the forces in Ashmuji village of southern Kulgam district, a claim which the police and army described as baseless.
The deceased girl was identified as 23-year-old Rifat Jan, daughter of Abdul Hamid Rather.
“She was rushed to district hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival,” local residents said.
They alleged that the girl’s brother Hidayatullah, 30, an auto driver by profession, was picked up by the forces and “as soon as his sister came to know about this, she suffered heart attack.”
In a statement, a police spokesman said: “Rifat Jan was brought dead to district hospital Kulgam and heart attack has been prima-facie reported as cause of her death.”
“Some rumours are being circulated that she died due to heart attack when army picked up her brother. The news circulated is totally baseless as army has not picked up anybody from Ashmuji. It is just being done by anti-national elements to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere,” the spokesman said.
Earlier, Kulgam police chief Harmeet Singh said that a girl from Ashmuji was bought dead to district hospital. “We are ascertaining the facts,” the senior superintendent of police said.
Army too described the allegations of locals as baseless. “Army did not thrash or pick up any youth. The news is completely baseless,” Army’s Srinagar-based spokesperson, colonel Rajesh Kalia told Greater Kashmir.