The custodial death of a 30-year-old school principal Rizwan Asad Pandith Tuesday triggered massive protests in his native Awantipora area in southern Kashmir.
Rizwan’s family said he was picked up from his home on Sunday night.
“On Sunday at around 11.30pm, police barged into our home and ordered us to completely turn off the lights. All the family members, including women, were locked in one room. My another son Mubashir Pandith was taken to all the rooms of our home for searches before my son Rizwan was picked up and taken along by policemen,” said Rizwan’s father Assadullah Pandit, a basic member (rukun) of Jamaat-e-Islami, a socio-religious organisation recently banned by the government of India.
Rizwan, according to the family, was a postgraduate in Chemistry.
Asadullah alleged that the police threatened to kill his entire family in case they make a hue and cry over Rizwan’s detention.
“The mobile phones of all the family members, apart from two laptops, were also snatched by the police,” he said.
Next day, the family members said they visited a local police station and were informed that he (Rizwan) was taken to the Cargo component of the police in Srinagar for “some questioning” and “will be released soon”.
On Tuesday morning, the family said they were shell-shocked to know about the custodial death of Rizwan through social media sites.
Mubashir said his family refused to take the body of Rizwan from police control room in Srinagar or any other police establishment, arguing that he was detained from his home and they (the police) should themselves return his body.
“They took him for questioning and they should return his body,” Mubashir said.
Asadullah alleged that his son was “killed during heavy torture in custody”.
The family said on 16 August 2018, Rizwan was called by the police and remained under detention for 10 days.
“On 26 August (2018), he was charged under the unlawful activities (prevention) Act and was slapped with Public Safety Act (PSA), before being taken to Kotbhalwal jail in Jammu. Five months later, on January 6 this year, Rizwan’s PSA was quashed by a court,” the family said.
Mubashir, a postgraduate in Biochemistry and also a teacher in a private school, said he has “no faith in any inquiry”.
“When such inquiries have yielded nothing in the past, how could they yield any fair result now?” Mubashir asked.
The two-storey house of Pandits was packed with mourners on Tuesday. Amid sobs and cries, the mother and sisters of the slain youth were being consoled by hundreds of people.
“Where is our brother, where is our eyesight? How can he leave us like this?” the sisters of Rizwan wailed.
Following Rizwan’s custodial death, his friends and students reached his home, cried aloud and also shouted slogans.
“We not only lost our principal but a beloved friend too. Without his presence, we now feel like orphans,” said a student and broke down.
One of his close friends, who didn’t reveal his name, called Rizwan a talented teacher, an ace administrator and a generous friend.
“He was well-mannered and friendly. I will always miss him,” he said.
A day before his death, Rizwan turned 30.
On 18th of March, his Facebook account was flooded with birthday messages from his friends and on March 19, his Facebook friends mourned his death with posts—like rest in peace—on the timeline.
Rizwan was working as principal at Sabir Abdullah Public school in Jawbehra, Awantipora. He had done his post-graduation in Chemistry from the Central University Dehradun and was preparing for the Ph.D entrance examination.
Rizwan would also teach at a local private coaching centre—Elite Group of Tutors—owned and run by his family and was also a guest lecturer at the government polytechnic college, IUST, Awantipora.
Rizwan is survived by his parents, three brothers and two sisters. He was the second elder son of his parents.
By late evening, his body reached the native town where thousands of participated in his last rites. His funeral was led by his father.
Amid massive pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans, Rizwan was laid to rest at martyrs’ graveyard at the shrine of Syed Mataqi (RA), Awantipora.
Rizwan’s father is a retired employee from central government’s handicrafts department.
Before the news of Rizwan’s killing broke, authorities at Islamic University of Science and Technology postponed the class-work and examinations scheduled for Tuesday.
Rizwan’s death also sparked protests and fierce clashes between youths and forces in Awantipora.
Scores of youth took to the streets and pelted forces with stones.
The fierce clashes continued throughout the day. The forces deployed in the area resorted to pellet firing and teargas shelling on the protesters, leaving scores of them injured.
Many of the injured persons were taken to primary health centre Awantipora, while others were treated locally.
A few teargas shells landed inside Rizwan’s house located near police station Awantipora on the old Srinagar-Jammu highway, local residents said.
Shops and business establishments in Awantipora remained closed while traffic was off the roads.
As a “precautionary measure”, authorities suspended Internet service in police district Awantipora.
According to police records, Rizwan was detained thrice. He was detained under PSA on 08/09/2018 vide DMP /PSA/28 in case FIR No. 146/2018 U/S 7/25 I. A. Act 18, 20, 38 UL Act of P/S Awantipora.
His PSA was quashed on 30/11/2018, according to police records. “He was again arrested in December 2018 but released on the same day”.
“Yesterday on 18/03/2019 he was once again arrested and was detained in P/S Awantipora,” the police records state.