MLA leads march against woman’s death

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 11

Awami Itttehad Party (AIP) leader and Independent MLA from Langate Engineer Rasheed today led a protest march in north Kashmir against the killing of a woman during an encounter with the Army.

Mysara was killed along with three militants during an encounter with the Army at Unisoo village. While officials maintain the woman was killed in the exchange of fire, villagers allege she had been killed in the operation.

“Protesters demanded arrest of Army personnel and an end to state terrorism,” the AIP said in a statement.

Addressing the protesters at the Main chowk in Handwara, Rasheed condemned the killing, saying Mysara’s death had yet again proved that security forces were accountable to none and treated themselves above law.

“New Delhi wants to threaten the Kashmiris and shut their mouths, but denying them justice will only strengthen their commitment to fight for their genuine political rights. To security forces, it seems, killing every Kashmiri irrespective of age and gender serves the national interest,” he said, while urging the intellectual class of India to understand its duties and do whatsoever required to make the Army and other security forces accountable in Kashmir.

Rasheed said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had lost control over the forces and she had been left to the mercy of false briefings by the men in uniform. He also ridiculed the government for organising a seminar on International Human Rights Day at the SKICC.

“It is shameful for Law Minister Ab Haq Khan to chair a seminar on human rights despite the fact that a youth — Manzoor Ahmad Khan — of his own constituency is allegedly in the custody of the security. Till now, the minister has been doing nothing except authenticating the false version of the security forces just to bury the serious issue,” he added.