Srinagar: For the second consecutive day after Monday’s Hyderpora encounter, family of the slain Dr Mudasir Gull, staged a peaceful protest at the Press Enclave here, demanding that his body be handed over to them for burial, while family of Altaf Ahmad Bhat, owner of the building where the encounter occurred, also held a protest here.
Dr Gull was killed in the encounter during Monday evening and as per police he was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) of the militants.
However, family of the slain doctor has claimed that Dr Gull was “not associated with any militancy-related activities and was running a business for his livelihood”.
Present among the protestors, Humaira Gull, wife of Dr Mudasir Gull appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for return of the body of her husband to the family.
“I want justice and one last time I want to see my husband,” Humaira told reporters. “I appeal LG sahib and other authorities to return his body to me,” said Humaira.
She said her toddler daughter has been continuously uttering “baba”, exactly the way she would call her father, while looking around for Dr Mudasir’s presence.
“Tell me how would I explain all this to her?” Humaira said. “Mudasir had left home without eating anything. He meant the world to his father and mother,” Humaira added.
Humaira demanded that police “give her proof that her husband was an OGW”. “In case my husband is a proven militant sympathiser, let them shoot me and my minor daughter,” she said, adding that her husband wasn’t an OGW but a doctor by profession. “He was earning his livelihood in an honest manner and I guarantee that,” Humaira said.
The other family members and relatives who were also part of peaceful protest demanded the body of Dr Mudasir for proper burials. “We appeal LG Manoj Sinha and IGP Kashmir to return the body of Dr Mudasir so that his daughter can see him one last time,” the family members said.
Meanwhile, the family and relatives of Altaf Ahmad Bhat said they will be forced to hit the streets if his body was not returned. “We seek the body of slain Altaf Ahmed back without any delay. In case they do not give us his body back, we will hit the streets,” said Dr Haneef Ahmed, Altaf Ahmad’s brother.
The family members of the slain building owner appealed to people from all communities to join them in demanding that the body be hand over to them. “ The IGP has himself admitted that Altaf was a civilian. When he was killed in crossfire what prompted them to get him buried in Handwara,” Dr Hanief questioned and sought intervention of LG Manoj Sinha.