Out on parole, Er Rashid raises in LS issue of civilian deaths

Jailed Baramulla Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, attended Parliament for the first time on Tuesday and raised concerns over the recent deaths of two civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly at the hands of security personnel. He demanded a thorough investigation into the incidents.

Addressing the House, Rashid pointed to the killing of Waseem Ahmad Mir, a civilian from Sopore, who was shot dead by the Army in north Kashmir’s Baramulla last week. He also brought up the death of Makhan Din, a resident of Jammu’s Kathua district, who was allegedly tortured in police custody.

“Our lives are valuable, have some shame,” Rashid said while urging the government to initiate a probe into the circumstances surrounding both deaths. He also called for the construction of a tunnel in Kupwara to improve connectivity for remote villages in the region.

Rashid, who won the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat last year by defeating J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by over two lakh votes while being in jail on terror funding charges, was granted a two-day parole to attend Parliament. He will be present in the Lok Sabha on February 11 and 13, as February 12 is a holiday for Sant Ravidas Jayanti.

Under the terms of his parole, Rashid is not allowed to meet or interact with anyone outside Parliament, including media personnel, and can only participate in parliamentary proceedings. He was brought to Parliament under heavy police protection.

According to officials, Waseem Ahmad Mir was shot on February 5 after he allegedly sped past a military checkpoint despite repeated warnings. The Army, in a statement, said a vehicle check post had been set up based on intelligence about terrorist movement and that Mir’s truck did not stop when challenged, instead accelerating further.

In another case, 25-year-old Makhan Din from Billawar, Jammu, was found dead on February 6 after reportedly being tortured in police custody over alleged links with militants. His death sparked outrage among local residents, who have demanded justice.