Soura killing
Beaten, trampled Umar was
denied treatment in custody
DANISH NABI
SRINAGAR, Aug 29: In a meager monthly salary, Bhats at Soura managed a
desktop for their tech-savvy son, Umar Qayoom Bhat, who remained glued
to it for most part of the day except for Namaz intervals. But
sloganeering outside on last Friday beckoned him towards the market
only to add 64th teenaged victim to, what seems, an unending cycle of
killings in Kashmir.
“He had recently joined a computer institute and seeing his interest
in computers we got him a computer, though we are not financially
able to afford one. He used to spend most of the time indoors at the
computer and would move out only to offer prayers in the Masjid five
times a day. He was associated with Tableeg-e-Jammat and this Ramazan
he was interested in going for Aitiqaaf (religious seclusion observed
in the holy month of Ramazan) but he is no more to do it,” said
Fareeda Bhat, mother of Umar, told Kashmir Times.
Middle aged mother of 17 year old Umar speaks with a heavy heart but
his father, Abdul Qayoom Bhat—a watchman by profession—is not in a
position to open his lips. His one elder and two younger sisters too
are in a state of shock since his killing at a tender age. Umar had
recently matriculated with a good score and was presently Roll no 222
in 11th standard in MP higher secondary school’s commerce department.
“He joined college because two of his friends had joined the stream.
He wanted to study and we too were interested in his continuing the
education. He was the only hope for a better life in the future,”
Fareeda said.
On the fateful Friday Umar offered prayers in the nearby Malik Sahab
Masjid. People staged protest demonstration in the market outside and
Umar went along with his friends to have a look. Suddenly, police and
paramilitary CRPF chased at the protesters but Umar could not run away
fast.
“The police and CRPF men lifted him by legs and arms. He was thrown
thrice at the closed shutter of a shop and then they trampled him
mercilessly. He fell unconscious and police took him to the police
station,” Umar’s maternal uncle, Lateef Ahmad, narrated.
Badly bruised Umar was kept in custody for nearly 24 hours without
treatment. His family unsuccessfully pleaded to the police officials
for his release but the police denied.
“We went to see him on Friday evening and he complained of uneasiness
inside his body. We pleaded Station House Officer, Majeed,
and sectional officer, Zahoor Ahmad, to release him so that we could
take him to the hospital but he declined it on the assurance that they
would themselves take him for treatment,” said Lateef.
But it did not happen and instead, according to the family, he was
tortured in the lockup during the night.
“Next morning when we went to seek his release he told us that he was
tortured at 1A M. He had fresh wounds in chest and right shoulder,”
Lateef revealed.
Umar’s release was still not easy for the family. On Saturday morning
he was first taken to magistrate for bail and then made to wait in
lockup till 7 PM for, what police told the family, deposing before the
senior superintendant of police.
“In the morning we were told that he is to be presented before
magistrate for bail but once that was done they took him to police
station again. This time they gave the reason that he was to depose
before Senior Superintendant of Police. SHO asked us to come at 6 PM,”
Lateef said, adding, “Umar was finally released at 7 PM.”
Umar continuously complained of uneasiness in the viscera organs and
in throat and he was not able to eat. His family took him to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment on Sunday morning where he was discharged after medical examination.
“His limbs were x-rayed and doctors said he is all right,” Lateef said.
But Umar was not well.
“He vomited out blood immediately after taking dinner on Sunday. And
same happened on Monday which forced us to take him to SKIMS again,”
Lateef said.
Medical examination revealed that Umar’s lungs had collapsed, as also
mentioned in his death certificate, and he was in need of immediate
treatment.
“Doctors said he was more critical than any other injured in the
institute,” Lateef recalled.
He was put on ventilator but he could not survive beyond Wednesday.
Umar’s funeral procession also came under fire from the police and
CRPF and 18 people were injured in the police action.
“Umar was laid to rest by four persons who could make it to the grave
yard,” Lateef said.
For Bhats the tragedy did not end here. Police, according to the
family, is refusing to register an FIR in the case.
“We have been approaching the police but they are dilly-dallying.
Officials at police station Soura are not responding,” they said
