Man sets self on fire after being released from ‘police detention’

A 55-year-old man from South Kashmir allegedly set himself on fire on Sunday morning, a day after his family claimed he had been detained and later released by the police. The man, identified as Bilal Ahmad Wani, a dry fruit seller from Qazigund, is currently undergoing treatment in a Srinagar hospital for severe burn injuries.

According to his family, Wani was called to the Qazigund police station on Saturday morning and released in the evening. They said he returned home visibly distressed and interacted very little with family members.

“Today morning, he woke up, poured petrol from the car on himself and set himself ablaze,” a relative told The Tribune. He was immediately shifted to Srinagar for treatment.

The family lives in the same neighbourhood as Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, who was among those arrested in a recently busted terror module linked to the Red Fort blast case. The family alleged that Wani’s son was questioned by police about whether they had attended Dr Adeel’s wedding. They also claimed that two of Wani’s sons and his brother had been detained, though one son was later released.

A family member said Wani appeared deeply disturbed after returning home on Saturday. “He didn’t interact much with us. This morning, he suddenly set himself on fire,” the relative said.

The J&K Police have not issued an official statement regarding the incident. However, a senior police officer denied that Wani had been detained by Kulgam Police. “He was only called for some information after his son was picked up,” the officer said, adding that no member of Wani’s family is currently in police custody.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti strongly criticised the circumstances surrounding the case. “Wani, an anguished father from Wanpora Qazigund, has set himself on fire after his son Jasir Bilal and brother Naveel Wani were detained a few days ago,” she said. She alleged that Wani had repeatedly pleaded with authorities to allow him to meet his detained relatives but was denied.

“This level of high handedness only breeds despair. When young men are picked up randomly, we risk driving an entire generation into fear and frustration,” she added.